As a lead-up to the 2024 NFL draft, we’ve broken down the current depth chart of every NFL team and identified the biggest draft and team needs for the Dallas Cowboys.
You can find additional team-by-team draft needs articles and other draft content on our 2024 NFL Draft Hub.
Dallas Cowboys Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2024
- Offensive Line
- Defensive Line
- Wide Receiver
What Picks Do the Dallas Cowboys Have in 2024?
The Dallas Cowboys have 7 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, including:
- Round 1 (24)
- Round 2 (56)
- Round 3 (87)
- Round 5 (174)
- Round 6 (216)
- Round 7 (233)
- Round 7 (244)
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The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.
This preview shares insights into players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal in mind: to prepare you for the 2024 NFL season by delivering the smartest information in the fastest, most direct way possible.
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Dallas Cowboys Draft Capital Stats
Our Sharp Draft Value Rank is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.
This is based on two public models: performance delivered based on draft slot (the AV model created by Chase Stuart) and contractual earnings in non-rookie deals based upon draft slot (the OTC model created by Brad Spielberger and Jason Fitzgerald).
- Cowboys Sharp Draft Value Rank: 30 of 32 teams
- Cowboys AV Model Draft Value Rank: 30 of 32 teams
- Cowboys OTC Model Draft Value Rank: 30 of 32 teams
Dallas Cowboys Draft Value vs. Other Teams:
The Cowboys’ draft value is 26% lower than the league average of all 32 teams. 29 other teams have more draft value entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Dallas Cowboys Draft Prediction:
Brendan Donahue has the Cowboys selecting Tyler Guyton (OT, Oklahoma) with the 24th overall pick in his most recent 2024 NFL Mock Draft.
Mock draft expert Ryan McCrystal believes the Cowboys could target an offensive tackle like JC Latham (OT, Alabama) with their top pick at No. 24 overall in the first round.
Dallas Cowboys Strength of Schedule, 2024
The Dallas Cowboys have the 11th-hardest NFL strength of schedule for the 2024 NFL season.
Dallas Cowboys Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Dallas Cowboys, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Dak Prescott
- Cooper Rush
- Trey Lance
Dak Prescott had arguably the best season of his career in 2023.
Prescott led the NFL in completions (410) and touchdown passes (36). His 69.5% completion rate was the highest of his career.
Prescott was second in the NFL in EPA per dropback (0.18) and third in success rate (48.5%). Both marks were the second-highest rates in those areas for his career.
He also had a 1.5% interception rate, which was his lowest in a season since 2018.
All of that led to Prescott finishing second in MVP voting.
Prescott still has plenty of meat left on the bone and is lined up for another big payday.
He will turn 31 this July, entering the final season of his current contract.
Behind Prescott, backups Trey Lance and Cooper Rush are only signed for 2024 since there is an all-but-zero chance the team is going to pick up Lance’s fifth-year option.
Running Back Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Rico Dowdle
- Malik Davis
- Deuce Vaughn
- Royce Freeman
- Snoop Conner
- Hunter Luepke (FB)
The Dallas running back room has been stripped down with the team losing both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard now in back-to-back offseasons.
Before the Cowboys signed Royce Freeman very late in free agency, the depth chart had very little NFL experience.
Rico Dowdle (113), Malik Davis (44), Deuce Vaughn (30), and Snoop Conner (12) have combined for 199 touches in the NFL at this point of their careers.
Freeman brings 557 career touches to the table, but he has averaged 3.8 yards per carry throughout his career.
Davis (through 2025) and Vaughn (2026) are each under contract for multiple seasons.
It is no secret that Dallas is going to add at least one running back during the draft, if not a couple of bodies.
We also could still see a veteran signing after the draft.
Dallas has already used pre-draft visits on Trey Benson, Jonathon Brooks, Braelon Allen, Emani Bailey, and Rasheen Ali.
Wide Receiver Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- CeeDee Lamb
- Brandin Cooks
- Jalen Tolbert
- Kavontae Turpin
- Martavis Bryant
- Racey McMath
- Jalen Brooks
- David Durden
- Jalen Cropper
CeeDee Lamb’s targets, catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns have all gone up from the season prior in each of his years in the league.
If he tops them all again in 2024, he will have a monster season since he is coming off a major campaign.
Lamb led the NFL with 135 receptions last season, turning those into 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding a rushing touchdown to his totals.
Lamb accounted for 29.9% of the team targets (fourth in the NFL), 31.5% of the receptions (first), and 37.5% of the receiving yards (third).
Lamb’s timing on that monster season could not have been better for himself as he is also set up for a big payday.
Lamb is currently under his fifth-year option for 2024. His camp is already pushing for a huge extension before playing on that option this season.
As noted, Lamb was largely the crux of the Dallas passing game.
Lamb had 181 targets last season. The next closest wide receiver on the team had 81. The next closest wide receiver after that had 57.
The rest of this wide receiver room needs work.
With Lamb due a huge extension, Dallas needs to find wideouts that can overachieve on rookie contracts or they are going to be forced to keep trying to coax out production on aging veterans on lower-tier contracts.
They tried to do the latter last season with minimal success.
Brandin Cooks had eight touchdowns last season, but he also averaged a career-low 41.1 yards per game.
His 3.4 receptions per game were his fewest in a season since 2019.
Cooks has now caught fewer than 60 passes for fewer than 700 yards in each of the past two seasons with Houston and Dallas.
Turning 31 in September, Cooks is only under contract for 2024.
After Cooks, there is next to nothing tangible here to latch onto.
Jalen Tolbert made some growth in year two, but he still has only 24 catches through two NFL seasons.
Your eyes are not playing tricks on you.
The ghost of Martavis Bryant is also here.
Bryant is now 32 years old and has not caught a pass in the NFL since the 2018 season.
Tight End Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Jake Ferguson
- Luke Schoonmaker
- Peyton Hendershot
- John Stephens
- Princeton Fant
After catching 19 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie in 2022, Jake Ferguson took a significant step forward in year two, catching 71 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns.
Ferguson was second on the team with 102 targets.
He then caught 10 passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns in the team’s playoff loss.
Dallas has plenty of young depth here at the position, having all of Ferguson, Schoonmaker, and Hendershot on rookie contracts.
Hendershot is the only one from that group that is not signed beyond the 2024 season.
Offensive Line Depth Chart, Cowboys:
LT: Tyler Smith, Chuma Edoga, Earl Bostick
LG: T.J. Bass, Asim Richards
C: Brock Hoffman, Dakoda Shepley
RG: Zack Martin, Josh Ball
RT: Terence Steele, Matt Waletzko
The Cowboys have been paper thin in terms of offensive depth to this point, and the offensive line is no exception.
Starters Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz left the team during the free agency period.
Tyler Smith can move back to left tackle.
He has said he is comfortable playing guard but is willing to move back should that be the road that Dallas takes.
Moving over guard last season, Smith’s 3.0% pressure rate allowed last season was the lowest on the team and ranked sixth among all guards in the league.
As a rookie in 2022, Smith played left tackle for 87.8% of his snaps that season. He allowed a 6.0% pressure rate (48th among tackles) and was 29th in overall grade among tackles per Pro Football Focus.
Whether Smith plays left tackle or left guard, we know that he is locked into a starting spot while the other position becomes an immediate need.
Zack Martin and Terence Steele are also locked into their spots on the right side of the line.
Martin will turn 34 this November but remains at the front of his position.
Martin was first-team All-Pro for the sixth time in his career in 2023.
He is signed through 2025.
Steele received a five-year extension this offseason.
He started all 17 games at right tackle for Dallas last season for the first time in his career.
Despite the extension as a sign of endorsement, Steele was 73rd last season in overall grade among tackles per PFF.
His 7.9% pressure rate allowed was a team-high and ranked 64th among all tackles to play 100 or more snaps in protection last season.
The center spot is also wide open for competition.
Brock Hoffman has started two games over two seasons with Dallas after he was added as an undrafted free agent.
Hoffman is only signed for 2024, but the team has restricted free agent rights to him next offseason.
Dallas Cowboys Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs
Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Dallas Cowboys, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
Defensive Line Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Osa Odighizuwa
- Mazi Smith
- Chauncey Golston
- Carl Davis
The Cowboys allowed 4.0 yards per running back carry (14th) and finished 24th in yards before contact allowed per RB carry in 2023.
With both Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore leaving in free agency, the Cowboys have some snaps to fill here.
Osa Odighizuwa is back after leading this unit in snaps a season ago.
Odighizuwa is coming off a strong season in which he logged 3 sacks with a 13.2% pressure rate and recorded 11 run stuffs.
He finished 4th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric among interior linemen.
Odighizuwa is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
A first-round pick last year, the Cowboys likely hoped Mazi Smith would be ready to replace Hankins, but he struggled as a rookie.
That was especially true against the run, which is where the Cowboys need him to shine.
Chauncey Golston played 309 snaps across 17 games last season.
He was not great against the run, but he did have an 11.2% pressure rate and 1.5 sacks.
Dallas does not have a lot of depth here, and they could use a big, run-stuffing option if Smith is not up to the task.
EDGE Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Micah Parsons
- DeMarcus Lawrence
- Sam Williams
- Tyrus Wheat
- Viliami Fehoko Jr.
- Durrell Johnson
Dallas led the league in pressure rate and finished with 46 sacks (13th) last season.
Micah Parsons continued as one of the most disruptive defensive players in the league in 2023.
He finished with 14 sacks, his third season in a row with at least 13 sacks to start his career, and led eligible pass rushers with a 21.8% pressure rate.
ESPN ranked Parsons first among edge rushers in their pass rush win rate metric.
Dallas has already confirmed they plan to pick up Parsons’ fifth-year option, which will pay him $21.3 million in 2025 if the two sides do not reach a long-term extension before then.
Entering the final year of his contract, DeMarcus Lawrence’s sack numbers have not looked great for several seasons.
He had only 4 last year, but his 13.8% pressure rate was a solid 40th among eligible pass rushers.
Lawrence is also outstanding against the run. He logged a run stuff on 6.4% of his run defense snaps last season, 1st among qualifying defensive linemen.
With Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler leaving in free agency, 2022 second-round pick Sam Williams should be given the chance to earn a bigger role.
Williams had an identical 13% pressure rate to Armstrong last season, but he finished with 4.5 sacks.
Depth is a concern with nothing proven behind those three, especially given Lawrence’s age and contract situation, but having one of the best defensive players in the league can cover a lot of holes.
Linebacker Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Eric Kendricks
- DeMarvion Overshown
- Damone Clark
- Buddy Johnson
One of the few additions in free agency, the Cowboys brought in Eric Kendricks to reunite him with ex-Vikings HC and new Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer.
Kendricks spent last season with the Chargers, recording 11 run stuffs and a tackle on 18.7% of his run defense snaps.
He did struggle in coverage, allowing 8.3 yards per target.
A third-round pick last year, DeMarvion Overshown missed his entire rookie season after suffering a torn ACL during the preseason.
Overshown was expected to play a big role before the injury, but he is still an unknown.
Damone Clark played the most snaps among the returning linebackers.
Clark struggled to make much of an impact in the running game, but he showed well in coverage, allowing 5.8 yards per target.
That number was 13th among qualifying linebackers.
Markquese Bell earned a large chunk of playing time at linebacker last season, but he is expected to move back to safety this year.
Overshown taking over a starting role would be a big boost to this group, but the Cowboys likely need another option here.
Kendricks is also on a one-year deal, raising longer-term concerns at the position.
Cornerback Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Trevon Diggs
- DaRon Bland
- Jourdan Lewis
- Eric Scott Jr.
- Nahshon Wright
- C.J. Goodwin
- Josh Butler
The Cowboys allowed 6.8 yards per pass attempt (11th) and finished 8th in EPA per dropback last season.
Stephon Gilmore remains unsigned, but the Cowboys are getting back Trevon Diggs after he played just two games last season due to a torn ACL.
Diggs might be slightly overrated thanks to his 11 interceptions in 2021, but he is a quality No. 1 option.
DaRon Bland picked up the interception slack last season, leading the league with 9 of his own.
A 2022 fifth-round pick, Bland now has 14 interceptions through two seasons, and he allowed just a 52.6 quarterback rating in coverage last year.
Jourdan Lewis is back on a one-year deal after once again serving as the slot corner last season.
He struggled, though, allowing a 105.1 passer rating in his coverage.
A 2023 sixth-round pick, Eric Scott made some noise during the offseason last year, but he didn’t find the field as a rookie.
The Cowboys could use some help here, but they have bigger needs elsewhere and limited draft capital.
Safety Depth Chart, Cowboys:
- Donovan Wilson
- Malik Hooker
- Markquese Bell
- Juanyeh Thomas
- Israel Mukuamu
- Sheldrick Redwine
With Jayron Kearse still unsigned, Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker are the primary returning options at safety.
Mostly playing away from the line, Hooker did not make much of an impact against the run last season, although he did get 4 run stuffs, but he did finish among the top 20 safeties in yards per coverage snap.
Wilson played closer to the line and was a bigger factor against the run, recording a tackle on 19.6% of his run defense snaps.
That rate ranked second among qualifying defensive backs last season.
First on that list was Markquese Bell, who actually worked as a linebacker last season.
Bell is expected to move back to safety this year, giving some added depth to this room.
Like at corner, this is not a perfect situation, but the Cowboys have bigger needs.
Pre Order the Best Analytical 2024 Football Preview
Don’t miss out on Warren Sharp’s 500+ page preview of the 2024 NFL season.
The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.
This preview shares insights into players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal in mind: to prepare you for the 2024 NFL season by delivering the smartest information in the fastest, most direct way possible.