5 Cowboys Already on Thin Ice in Week 1
By Cem Yolbulan
Cooper Beebe, C
The Cowboys are starting two rookies on their offensive line to begin the season. One is first-round pick Tyler Guyton who will be replacing Tyron Smith at left tackle, while the other is third-round pick out of Kansas State, Cooper Beebe.
When starting center Tyler Biadasz left Dallas in free agency, many had expected Brock Hoffman, who saw 221 offensive snaps last year, to take over. However, Mike McCarthy is trusting Beebe to start immediately instead.
This is a surprising decision because Beebe has never played center in college. He started off at left tackle and eventually moved to left guard in the last two seasons. In fact, center is the only position on the offensive line that he didn't see any snaps in. He was able to earn the starting role over the training camp as he has been one of the preseason standouts for the team.
Brock Hoffman is lurking behind him if Beebe struggles in his NFL debut. Beebe's versatility will come in handy for the Cowboys' offensive line to be sure, but whether it is too early for him to have a role this large remains to be seen.
Luke Schoonmaker, TE
When the Cowboys selected Luke Schoonmaker with their second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, it took everyone by surprise. More than the Michigan product himself, it was about the lack of need in the tight end position for the Cowboys. Dallas already had Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot on the roster.
Schoonmaker naturally wasn't too involved in his rookie season as he saw 31% of offensive snaps and finished the year with eight catches for 65 yards. This lack of production already started conversations among the Cowboys fanbase about him being a draft bust.
Now, Schoonmaker has the opportunity to prove otherwise. Dallas traded away Hendershot in the offseason but that doesn't mean the competition is over.
In fact, the Cowboys brought four tight ends to the active roster. Brevyn Spann-Ford, an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota, and John Stephens Jr, who missed his rookie season after suffering an ACL injury in the preseason last year, are waiting for their turn. The inclusion of those two signals the lack of confidence they have in Schoonmaker. If the former second-round pick isn't producing, he is at risk of losing his TE2 role.