The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for their first training camp led by first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer next week. The Cowboys will host camp in Oxnard, California, with the vets and rookies reporting on Monday, July 21.
This will be an important time for several guys on Dallas’ 90-man roster. With a new coaching staff taking over, it gives rookies, second-year players, and fringe veterans one more chance to prove they belong on the 53-man roster.
Schottenheimer will have tough decisions to make in the secondary, running back, and wide receiver positions over the next few weeks. The wide receiver competition has quietly flown under the radar after the Cowboys acquired George Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As things are currently constructed, Dallas’ top-4 wide receivers are CeeDee Lamb, Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, and KaVontae Turpin, who is one of the best kick returners in the league. The Cowboys would love to throw Jonathan Mingo in that mix as well, especially since they gave up a draft pick for him at the trade deadline last season.
Second-Year WR Ryan Flournoy on Chopping Block Heading into Training Camp
If that’s the case, it leaves one spot for seven other receivers, including second-year wideout Ryan Flournoy.
Flournoy, who was taken in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft, became a fan favorite for his performance in the preseason last summer. The FCS standout from Southeast Missouri State made a name for himself and showed that he could compete on the NFL level.
The 6-foot-1 wide receiver racked up nine receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns, which is nothing to overlook, especially in the preseason, where you have everyone fighting for jobs on the 53-man roster or taxi squad.
Trey Lance ⏩ Ryan Flournoy 6⃣ pic.twitter.com/FTTqEPsdb5
— Cowboys on SI (@CowboysSI) August 24, 2024
Flournoy made the team out of preseason, but was inactive for the first month of the season, which was telling, given that he played well in the exhibition games.
When the former FCS wide receiver did see the field, Flournoy did not put up big numbers. He recorded 10 receptions (14 targets) for 102 yards in 11 games (1 start). However, for a Day 3 pick from a small school, it's not a bad starting point.
That said, the Cowboys need to see the young wide receiver take a huge leap in training camp and preseason. He has guys like Parris Campbell, Kelvin Harmon, Jalen Cropper, Jalen Brooks, and UDFA Traeshon Holden looking to steal that spot.
The odds say that if Flournoy showcases that 4.44 40-yard dash speed and physicality with the ball in his hands, he will get a chance to stick on the 53. However, when you look at all the other competitors in this battle, the numbers aren’t in his favor.
If Flournoy gets cut, Dallas could sneak him back on the practice squad if he clears waivers. But it's not guaranteed that it will happen, and it's a reality they might have to face in the near future.