Cowboys Starting Lineup Predicted After High-Energy Offseason

FRISCO - All we've heard about from Dallas Cowboys minicamp is the energy.

Players are battling it out in locker room competitions. Coaches are hootin' and hollerin' as music blares on the practice field. Players - in full-roster attendance throughout the program - are going as hard as they can in workouts.

This is winning over the minds of the Cowboys fans who were skeptical of Brian Schottenheimer's hiring and his "best culture in sports history" gimmick.

So far, he's holding up his end of that statement, but this football team still has a ways to go in winning over fans' hearts after last season's unfortunate 7-10 performance.

A lot of that progress has to be done on nature's timing in the rehab facility, but there are still questions around certain positions, too.

We've scribbled a lot of notes from OTAs and minicamp at The Star, so now that we've hit the dead period that leads us up to training camp in Oxnard...

What would the Cowboys starting lineup look like if the season started today?

Let's dive in.

Quarterback

Dak Prescott

The NFL's highest-paid player has spoken about legacy a lot this week.

Off the field, he's perhaps the most stand-up citizen you'll find, but NFL fans - certainly spoiled Cowboys loyalists - don't stamp "legacy" status on charitable efforts.

Dak could become one of the Cowboys' all-time leaders in many statistical categories, but he'll always have a cloud hanging over his tenure in Big D as long as his 2-5 playoff percentage stays put.

With Prescott healthy after his scary hamstring injury last year, he is as motivated as ever to earn his definition of greatness.

Running Back

Javonte Williams

As things stand today it's a toss up with Miles Sanders, who is slightly-older and slightly-less productive at his peak than the well-rounded Williams. We may not know the true RB1 until a few games into the season if we are still left wondering post-camp.

Rookie Jaydon Blue from Texas, with his blazing 4.30 speed, will want to throw his name in the hat, but he's a fifth-round pick that needs to earn his stripes first.

Wide Receiver

CeeDee Lamb

George Pickens

Jalen Tolbert

The top two have all the makings of duo as pristine as a Scorsese film ... but they'll still need to manage their egos through thick and thin, and only real games can prove that commitment.

The real discussion is at WR3. Tolbert has held this position in Dallas before, giving him the edge at the moment. With Mingo, Turpin, and others also in the mix, this training camp group will be fun to watch. And not just because of CeeDee and GP's cool handshakes.

Tight End

Jake Ferguson

It is "Big Biscuit's" job until he loses it.

Ferguson had a rough season in 2024, but a head injury and a backup QB played a part in that. He's poised to see a fresh start this season and return to his Pro Bowl ways ... but if he doesn't...

Brevyn Spann-Ford may be lurking...

Offensive Line

LT: Tyler Guyton

LG: Tyler Smith

C: Cooper Beebe

RG: Tyler Booker

RT: Terence Steele

Amid the other concerns and possible rotations the skill positions, Schotty and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams are hoping this unit holds together.

Guyton will draw the most eyes as he's due for the most improvement. Beebe and Steele are comfortable in their spots, and Smith is a budding star and All-Pro up for a massive new contract. He could be good enough to move to tackle if there is a need to shuffle. Schottenheimer and staff have already tinkered with this idea...

Defensive Line

EDGE: Micah Parsons

DT (3 tech): Osa Odighizuwa

DT: (1 tech): Mazi Smith

EDGE: Dante Fowler Jr.

The two ends are each capable of high sack totals, but defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus could get creative on how he deploys them to complement one another throughout the season.

Like it or not ... Dallas still believes in Mazi. This is a "make it or break it" season for the third-year big man. Expect a lot of concerns with depth if Smith can't make that leap as a reliable mainstay next to Odighizuwa.

Linebackers

Kenneth Murray Jr.

Jack Sanborn

It's killing me not to find a starting spot for Marist Liufau, but know that he will see plenty of reps if 'Flus goes to a 4-3 now that the Cowboys don't have a true nickel cornerback.

Either Murray or Sanborn are expected to be the green dot guy. As the defensive play-caller, it will be whoever the staff is confident in staying on the field the most. They each offer more experience than the second-year Liufau, so that's why they earn equal starting projection for now.

The return of DeMarvion Overshown will throw a wrench into this entire plan, but if that isn't until Thanksgiving, it's important to formulate something.

Defensive Backs

CB: Kaiir Elam

CB: Caelen Carson

NB: DaRon Bland

FS: Malik Hooker

SS: Donovan Wilson

Bland is the Cowboys' best cornerback with Trevon Diggs injured. Because he is the most reliable, he could be the leading candidate to fit in at that crucial nickel spot - his versatility and experience there offers a bit of confidence. Depending on their production, I wouldn't mind Bland staying there and Diggs taking over for youngster Carson on the boundary when he's back.

The Cowboys have been singing the praises of Elam so far this offseason, so he seems to have a firm grasp on a starting spot, but he'll still need to prove Dallas' trade worthwhile.

As mentioned above, linebacker-whisperer Eberflus could load the box and deploy just Bland and Elam on the outside while Diggs is sidelined. Rangy defenders like Parsons, Liufau, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and others could cover the middle.

This is a lot of food for thought, but don't chew it all too fast.

Training camp in late July could easily change this lineup in a lot of ways.

But through it all, we're most expecting the energy to remain the same.