Cowboys preview: What's next for Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott
Training camps are still in the distance, but USA TODAY Sports is providing five things you need to know about every team in the NFL to catch you up on the offseason. Today, the Dallas Cowboys ...
1. Dak Prescott is under pressure for an encore
After winning offensive rookie of the year and leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record in a storybook ascension, Prescott won't be catching anyone by surprise this season. Now squarely in charge during the offseason for the first time, Prescott is taking on more responsibilities while his teammates are urging him to be a more vocal leader. With a more imposing schedule that pits him against some of the league's best defenses and passers, he won't have much room for error if he starts to show signs of a sophomore slump.
2. Ezekiel Elliott still sees spots for improvement
Where does the NFL's leading rusher have room to grow? For Elliott, one focal point is to become "more dominant" as a second-level runner. Despite having a league-best 14 runs of 20-plus yards last season, Elliott believes he can be more elusive after hitting the hole. Another potential room for growth is as a receiver, an area in which he was mostly shielded last season while serving the heaviest workload on the ground of any back.
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3. The offensive line might be undergoing a reshuffling, but in an unexpected way
Dallas will have its three Pro Bowl anchors — left tackle Tyron Smith, right guard Zack Martin and center Travis Frederick — yet it must replace two starters in Ronald Leary and Doug Free. Once pegged to be the Cowboys' next standout guard, La'El Collins is now working out at right tackle and could fill in there as the Cowboys evaluate their options. That could leave the remaining guard spot to Jonathan Cooper, a former first-round pick who signed with the team this offseason after washing out with the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots.
4. Jaylon Smith could be the defense's X-factor
A second-round pick last year after suffering a left knee injury that caused a nerve issue, Smith is now vowing to play in the Week 1 opener against the New York Giants. There's plenty to be done between now and then, as Smith still has to show an ability to handle a full workload, and he continues to wear a brace to help with the drop-foot stemming from the nerve problem. If healthy, he would provide a playmaker for a defense in desperate need of one.
5. The pass defense remains a work in progress
Four key contributors at defensive back — cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne as well as safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox — defected in free agency, leaving a defense that ranked 26th against the pass even more vulnerable. Dallas signed Nolan Carroll and used three of its first five draft picks on the secondary, but former first-round safety Byron Jones will have to step up for a unit that had just nine interceptions last season. Defensive end Taco Charlton was taken in the first round to provide another edge presence on a line still lacking a consistent pass rusher.
Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.
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