With mandatory minicamp coming to a close, the Dallas Cowboys will focus on the next part of their offseason — training camp. This won't begin until late July but the coaching staff, and even some of the players, are already turning their attention to their time in Oxnard.
Dallas is coming off their third consecutive 12-win campaign, but they once again fell flat in the playoffs. They know the pressure is at an all-time high, especially with key players such as Dak Prescott and Zack Martin coming into the season with cloudy futures.
Most of the attention will go to them — and CeeDee Lamb who is holding out for a new contract — there will be plenty of intrigue throughout the roster. Here, we look at six players who are on the bubble and need to show out in camp to keep their spot on the team.
6. Viliami Fehoko, Jr., DL
Dallas selected Viliami Fehoko, Jr. in the fourth round last year. The San Jose State product measured in at 6-foot-4 and 276 pounds which might end up hurting his chances of success. His size led to a belief that he could play both the defensive end position, and slide inside as a 3-tech on passing downs.
The Cowboys have done this with Tyrone Crawford and Chauncey Golston with mixed success. Their thought process is fine and versatility is great but players need to be afforded the chance to learn one position before moving around.
For Fehoko, he would be best served to stick in one spot. Right now, defensive tackle would give him a better chance at making the roster but he's still listed as a defensive end. If he stays there, he will be behind Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, and rookie Marshawn Kneeland. He might not be in danger of being released just yet, but he could wind up buried on the depth chart.
5. Josh Ball, OL
Sadly, missed opportunities has been the theme for Josh Ball both in the NFL as well as during his collegiate career. Ball was elevated to the role of starting left tackle during his redshirt freshman season with the Florida State Seminoles. He made nine starts that year but was unable to keep the job in 2018.
Ball was suspended for the season after an ugly accusation and wound up heading to Butler Community College. He played there for one year and then elected to transfer to Marshall rather than return to FSU. He then spent the 2019 season as a backup, finally, starting eight games at left tackle for the Thundering Herd in 2020.
Dallas took a flier on Ball despite his red flags and once again, he got a huge opportunity early in his career. Ball missed his entire rookie campaign due to injury but was named the swing tackle in 2022 after edging out rookie Matt Waletzko.
Tyron Smith was lost in the preseason and that opened the door for Ball to start. He was put into the lineup during the preseason, but it was clear he wasn't up to the task.
Ball appeared in 13 games but was never a starter after losing his role to 40-year-old Jason Peters. In 2023, he never saw the field thanks to a hip injury.
Now looking ahead to this season, there's a good chance he doesn't make the roster. Ball moved to guard and that versatility might have helped him last year but now Dallas has Chuma Edoga and Asim Richards who each have experience at guard and tackle. Their presence (and versatility might spell the end for Ball.
4. Eric Scott, Jr., CB
It might only be his second season in the NFL but 2024 could already be a "make-or-break" campaign for Eric Scott, Jr. The Southern Miss product was taken in the sixth round of the draft but it cost Dallas more than this to bring him in. The Cowboys were high enough on Scott that they traded a fifth-round pick in 2024 to add him in 2023.
That might not seem like a major move but considering their lack of draft capital in the mid-rounds, it was meaningful for them.
As a rookie, Scott never saw the field for the Cowboys. Even with Trevon Diggs going down with a torn ACL in Week 3, there wasn't room for Scott. That's not a major knock against him since they still had Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis. They also had C.J. Goodwin listed as a cornerback — although he's there for special teams purposes.
Even with Gilmore out, the Cowboys might not have room for Scott again in 2024. Lewis was re-signed, making him the third CB behind Diggs and Bland and Dallas also picked up Caelen Carson in this year's draft. The front office is high on Carson and reportedly considered selecting him in Round 3, but decided Cooper Beebe was a better selection.
They were surprised he was still available in Round 5 and were thrilled to land the Wake Forest DB. Carson will be ahead of Scott, meaning it will come down to Scott and Nahshon Wright for the final spot. Wright has yet to develop into the player they hoped he would be. But he has been a decent special teams player in his own right. Scott must prove he can perform on this unit to make the team.
3. Cooper Rush, QB
Cooper Rush is a trusted backup quarterback but the Dallas Cowboys have another option this season in Trey Lance. The former No. 3 overall pick never panned out with the San Francisco 49ers and landed in Dallas last season.
Lance cost the team a fourth-round pick which feels like a lot of compensation for someone likely to be released — but apparently, the coaching staff was high on his talent and wanted to make sure they didn't get into a bidding war.
Lance is entering his fourth season and has four starts under his belt. He went 2-2 for the 49ers and threw for 797 yards with five touchdowns and three picks. The mobile gun-slinger added 235 yards and a touchdown on the ground but lost his job to Brock Purdy, leading to his departure.
In Dallas, he finds himself in the media often. Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his deal and the Cowboys have been hesitant to pay him. They're also planning on giving Lance a long look during the preseason which has led to speculation that he might be the QB they prefer long-term.
Even if that's not the case, Lance will get every opportunity to prove himself and if he plays well, he could leapfrog Rush. If that happens, the Cowboys might prefer to keep just two quarterbacks and add someone to the practice squad for emergencies. That's why the veteran leaves camp on the chopping block despite having success in the past.
2. Peyton Hendershot, TE
A former undrafted free agent, Peyton Hendershot is someone who brings a lot of athleticism to the tight end position. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 254 pounds, Hendershot has the ideal size for the position but can move like a wideout.
He's not completely refined, which is why he went undrafted, but he scored three touchdowns as a rookie in 2022, proving he can make plays when afforded the opportunity.
The problem is that the opportunities will be minimal for him going forward. Jake Ferguson exploded in his second season in the league with 761 yards and five touchdowns on 71 receptions. Behind him, they have Luke Schoonmaker who didn't impress as a rookie but was still a second-round pick. His draft status will give him the edge — at least for another season.
Hendershot was No. 3 last season but missed nine games due to injury. He finished with 38 yards on four receptions, with a long of 24. Looking ahead to 2024, he might be in danger of falling further down the depth chart.
John Stephens, Jr. was a surprise player during the preseason in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury. He will be back for his sophomore campaign and offers intrigue as a pass-catcher.
If they wanted to go in a different route, the Cowboys could keep undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford. They did give the Minnesota product a healthy bonus, showing they have faith in his skill set.
Hendershot is more than capable of playing in the NFL but still finds himself on the bubble due to the depth around him.
1. Deuce Vaughn, RB
When Deuce Vaughn was announced as the Cowboys' selection at No. 212 last year, the fan base was elated. He was a great story since his dad worked for Dallas as a scout and even called his son to tell him that he would be selected. Vaughn also played a position of need with Tony Pollard as the only proven back on the depth chart.
While undersized, Vaughn had an impressive resume. In three seasons at Kansas State, he racked up 3,604 yards rushing and 1,280 as a receiver. He scored 43 total touchdowns for the Wildcats and touched the ball 767 times on offense. The NFL is tougher than the NCAA, but the volume was encouraging especially since he held up and avoided injuries.
As a rookie, there was hope he could be the No. 2 back behind Pollard but he never truly took off during training camp or the preseason. He showed several flashes of his play-making ability but was overshadowed by Rico Dowdle, who took advantage of the opening at RB2.
Entering 2024, Dowdle is expected to be the primary backup again but this time Ezekiel Elliott is slated to start. Zeke returned after one year in New England and it's not unrealistic to think Dowdle will end up with more touches than him by season's end.
They also have Royce Freeman, who averaged 4.1 yards per attempt for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. None of their options are great but several have more impressive resumes than Vaughn at this point. That has him in danger since they can't afford to put a player on the depth chart at running back with the hopes of developing them. They need guys who can contribute if called upon.
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