The Dallas Cowboys have won 24 regular-season games over the past two years and took a further step in the playoffs in each campaign. Dallas used the offseason to solidify its roster through trades for veterans like wide receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephon Gilmore, but they still have some depth chart questions as Mike McCarthy enters his fourth year as head coach.

Let’s break down the most critical training camp competitions the Cowboys will be watching when they begin practicing in Oxnard, California, in late July.

Top Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Battles To Watch

No. 2 RB | Deuce Vaughn vs. Malik Davis

After releasing Ezekiel Elliott earlier this year, the Cowboys are turning to the franchise-tagged Tony Pollard as their lead back in 2023. Pollard has never been a full-time player during his NFL career, and while he believes he “can handle the punishment,” Dallas will need another RB to contribute.

Dallas posted the sixth-most rushing attempts in the NFL in 2022. McCarthy, taking over offensive play-calling duties for Kellen Moore, wants to “run the damn ball” next season, so the Cowboys will likely have more than enough touches to go around.

At present, sixth-round rookie Deuce Vaughn looks like the favorite to serve as Pollard’s caddy. The Kansas State product managed more than 1,400 rushing yards in each of his final two collegiate seasons, and he was also a significant factor in the receiving game, posting 91 receptions for 846 yards and seven touchdowns from 2021-22.

“The No. 1 thing is (we’re) getting a hell of a football player — a guy that can win in space, create their own space, and do explosive things,” Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay said after the draft. “Deuce’s done that ever since he’s been in high school. Getting him and adding him as a weapon was a huge deal.”

Vaughn’s diminutive size (5’6″, 172 pounds) means he can easily get stymied between the tackles and doesn’t have the power to generate yards after contact. He also has trouble in pass protection. Per PFF, Kansas State only asked him to block on 16.1% of his passing plays in 2022.

Former undrafted free agent Malik Davis is also on the Cowboys’ roster, but he’s a virtual unknown at the NFL level after receiving just 38 carries for 161 yards and one touchdown last season. Davis posted a relatively unathletic profile at the 2022 Scouting Combine, so it’s difficult to get too excited about his prospects.

Dallas could also turn to Ronald Jones, who signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys after handling just 18 total touches with the Chiefs a year ago. And a reunion with Elliott isn’t off the table. But for now, Vaughn and Davis are the main contenders to shoulder the workload behind Pollard.

Tight End | Jake Ferguson vs. Luke Schoonmaker vs. Peyton Hendershot

The Cowboys are hoping Luke Schoomaker will develop into a reliable contributor after selecting him in the second round of April’s draft, but rookie tight ends often have a hard time making an impact in their first pro campaign. Tight end is a notoriously difficult position to master in the NFL, thanks to the dual responsibilities of blocking and pass catching.

Schoonmaker will have a relatively low bar to clear in 2023. Over the past 10 seasons, only one Day 2 rookie tight end has managed at least 500 receiving yards (Mark Andrews, 2018). Even first-round TEs often have trouble — Kyle Pitts (2021) and Evan Engram (2017) are the only first-year tight ends to surpass 600 yards in their first NFL seasons since 2013.

Schoonmaker is viewed as an in-line tight end with the blocking chops to stay on the field for all three downs. But he’ll face competition as the Cowboys aim to replace Dalton Schultz, who left for the Texans in free agency. Schultz received the second-most targets (89) among Dallas pass catchers last season, while the Cowboys threw to their tight ends at the eighth-highest rate in the NFL.

Now that Dallas has acquired Cooks, they’re likely to run more 11 personnel with CeeDee Lamb, Cooks, and Michael Gallup on the field. 2022 fourth-round pick Jake Ferguson might have a leg up on Schoonmaker, given that he’s already spent a year in the Cowboys’ system. He’s proven himself as an in-line option, which should make him more appealing than Peyton Hendershot, who played more than 45% of his snaps in the slot.

How Will the Cowboys’ Offensive Line Shake Out?

If everything breaks right, the Cowboys won’t have a competition along the offensive line. When healthy, Dallas’ best front five includes Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, and Terence Steele from left to right. But healthy is anything but a given with this group.

Tyron Smith missed most of the regular season after tearing his hamstring in training camp and was deployed at right tackle upon his return. Steele tore his ACL and MCL in December, and McCarthy recently admitted the OT might not be ready for the start of training camp.

Steele is likely the more significant concern. If he isn’t available for the start of the regular season, expect Dallas to move Tyron Smith back to the right side and shift Tyler Smith to left tackle. In that scenario, the Cowboys would need to find a new left guard, at least to begin the 2023 campaign.

Dallas has spent the early portion of the offseason cross-training its offensive linemen at various positions. McCarthy and Co. clearly felt they needed more versatile front-five depth this year and nearly selected guard Matthew Bergeron over eventual pick Mazi Smith in the first round of the draft.

Instead, the Cowboys didn’t draft an offensive lineman until Round 5, so they’ll likely rely on holdovers in the event that they need a temporary left guard. Chuma Edoga saw 55 snaps at LG for the Falcons last season, while Matt Waletzko, Josh Ball, and Matt Farniok are all capable of stepping in along the interior.