FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys move into OTAs here at The Star this week on the way to filling out their full training camp roster and then heading to Oxnard, California, in late July.
That means Cowboys Nation is getting closer to finally seeing out who will suit up on Sundays later this fall after a much productive offseason than last. Dallas has brought in more than a dozen new faces via free agency and trades and has added a crop of nine rookies in the NFL Draft.
As you'll see below, some names are a guarantee to make the team after camp, and others will need to win a position competition to make the cut.
A major competition? It's at running back.
A major hole? It's fixed!
If the season started today, this is how we imagine the 53-man roster will fill out.
Quarterback
Dak Prescott
Will Grier
Joe Milton III
Prescott is heading into Year 2 as Dallas' $60 million man and Year 10 overall. He should be good to go once Week 1 rolls around, following his season-ending hamstring injury.
The big watch here, is who will back him up.
Grier returns to the Cowboys still under contract, but has seen very little time away from the practice squad. He does have familiarity with the building over sophomore stud Joe Milton, however, who was acquired in a trade with New England earlier this offseason.
Backup quarterback is one of many competitions throughout the roster worth keeping tabs on at camp.
Running Back
Miles Sanders
Jaydon Blue
Javonte Williams
Hunter Luepke
The dilemma here rises if the Cowboys decide they want to keep a fullback on the roster, and in that case Luepke is locked in.
One of the other four - free agent signings Sanders and Williams, and draftees Blue and Mafah - would be left out. Deuce Vaughn is in this race too...
This will be a headline-making competition all camp, but we lean to Sanders getting the starting nod based off experience in an already young room if Dallas. Blue would be right on Sanders' tail for a starting job if this is the group.
The semi-proven Williams gets the slight edge over rookie Phil Mafah, although they are both similar in their power run game.
Wide Receiver
CeeDee Lamb
George Pickens
Jalen Tolbert
Jonathan Mingo
KaVontae Turpin
Many in Cowboys Nation were desperate for a more reliable and "explosive" second-option receiver to CeeDee. You got your wish in the massively important - and risky - trade for George Pickens.
Dallas now has "two No. 1's,'' as Lamb himself is saying.
Tight End
Jake Ferguson
Luke Schoonmaker
Brevyn Spann-Ford
The tight end room seems pretty set if Dallas elects for a three-man unit.
The Cowboys' biggest hope is that Ferguson can return to his 2023 form and potentially turn into the team's best option receiving outside of Lamb. He will need to be as explosive as ever to complement the run-game and open up lanes for CeeDee if the other receivers can't.
Offensive Line
LT: Tyler Guyton
LG: Tyler Smith
C: Cooper Beebe
RG: Tyler Booker
RT: Terence Steele
Brock Hoffman
T.J. Bass
Asim Richards
Saahdiq Charles
Rob Jones
The 'Great Wall of Tyler' gets the starting nod after Dallas' first-round pick of Booker.
This lineup spots feels the most realistic, with the only other option being Smith moving out to left tackle and Hoffman filling in at guard. Smith is most comfortable inside, and Guyton's length fits naturally at tackle as long as he continues to get comfortable in learning the blind side.
The final roster spot comes down to Dallas' free agent signee with starting experience from last season in Jones, or late-round draft pick in Ajani Cornelius. Nonetheless, this will be another closely-monitored competition.
Defensive Tackle
Osa Odighizuwa
Mazi Smith
Solomon Thomas
Jay Toia
Tommy Akingbesote
Osa will be the predominant starter at 3-technique with Thomas cycling in for depth. The addition of Toia will quietly do wonders for Smith, who Cowboys Nation is hopeful can make a big leap in Year 3 like most DTs tend to do.
This group under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be crucial in the defense's ability to stop the run and stay in games. That was Dallas' kryptonite last season, and opposing teams may pick on this group early in the year because of it.
Defensive End
Micah Parsons
Dante Fowler Jr.
Donovan Ezeiruaku
Marshawn Kneeland
Payton Turner
Although Micah and Jerry Jones have not formally signed any contract extension agreement, all signs point to the DE group in Dallas being led by one of the NFL's best.
Fowler may get the opposite starting job over others because of veteran leadership, but best believe "Easy" won't be far behind. The group could create a three-man rotation with youngster Kneeland in that mix, too. There is a lot of athleticism to be excited about in this group, especially after Dallas' second-round steal of Ezeiruaku.
Sam Williams will be in tight competition with Turner once he returns from last season's knee injury, but newcomer Turner gets the final spot in the meantime.
Linebacker
Kenneth Murray Jr.
Jack Sanborn
Marist Liufau
Damone Clark
Shemar James
If DeMarvion Overshown would be healthy to start the season, you could remove Clark or James from this grouping to make room for expected-starter "Agent Zero". However, that isn't likely the case.
Murray and Sanborn are neck-and-neck on the top starting position, but both are expected to contribute greatly in their first year in Dallas via free agency. Liufau is another intriguing piece that can be rotated in for explosive depth.
Cornerback
DaRon Bland
Kaiir Elam
Shavon Revel Jr.
Caelen Carson
Israel Mukuamu
Like Overshown, Trevon Diggs is expected to start the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list with his knee injury. Until then, the "swiss army knife" Mukuamu slides in as a cornerback alternate alongside the improving Carson.
Revel is a promising rookie, but also recovering from knee surgery, but early indications say he'll be ready to go for the regular season.
Safety
Malik Hooker
Donovan Wilson
Juanyeh Thomas
Markquese Bell
This group remains untouched from last season after they proved the unit could be a serviceable. The largest concern in the secondary, though, remains at corner.
Special Teams
Brandon Aubrey
Bryan Anger
Trent Sieg
C.J. Goodwin
No changes here, either. One of the NFL's best special teams stays intact heading into the 2025 season. As mentioned earlier, Turpin is the immediate starter at both kick return positions with Goodwin.
There is a lot to look forward to on this projected Dallas Cowboys roster once they get fully healthy ... especially now that there's another wide receiver here to fill that gaping hole.