PFF ranks Dallas Cowboys 2024 roster four spots lower than last season

After the offseason, a big question facing the Cowboys going into training camp later this month is, are they better than they were last season? According to ProFootballFocus‘ rubric, the answer is no. PFF ranks each NFL team’s roster before the season and Dallas’s ranking this year is four spots lower than in 2023. The team dropped from No. 5 to No. 9 thanks to a relatively quiet offseason during which the team lost more starters than they picked up. PFF ranked the Cowboys roster behind the 49ers, Chiefs, Eagles, Jets, Ravens, Lions, Texans and Bengals.

“Their stars are as good as any team in the league, but their salary cap situation has eroded their depth, especially in the trenches,” PFF writes. “They’ll likely still have a good season, but holes at running back and in the middle of their defense could cause headaches against the more physical teams on their schedule.”

Keeping the Cowboys in the top 10 after considering the talent they lost might be generous. Four former Cowboys are now with one of the team’s NFC East rivals, the Washington Commanders, and even team legend Tyron Smith is gone. Smith signed a heavily incentive-based deal with the New York Jets after entering free agency and his replacement solution is first-round rookie Tyler Guyton.

Dallas re-signed long snapper Trent Sieg, and cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and CJ Goodwin, as well as running back Rico Dowdle, linebacker Damien Wilson and tackle Chuma Edoga. As far as new additions, the team picked up veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks and running back Royce Freeman, and brought Ezekiel Elliott back. Dallas also signed a couple of playmakers from the UFL.

The team’s biggest weakness, according to PFF, is its run defense. The key factor for them there will be second-year defensive tackle Mazi Smith. A 2023 first-round pick, Smith contributed little as a rookie, which is why he’s PFF’s lowest-rated projected starter for the Cowboys this year.

Cowboys ‘all in’ according to Jerry Jones

Jerry Jones used the phrase “all in” to describe the team’s approach to the 2024 season but the team’s offseason moves haven’t reflected that sentiment. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones tried to explain what “all in” really means to the team after a quiet free agency period.

“We don’t define ‘all in’ by what you spend in free agency … It’s keeping your core and some of the great players in this league – like Dak Prescott, like Micah Parsons, like CeeDee Lamb, like (Trevon) Diggs,” Jones said. “That’s what we define as all in, is trying to keep those guys.”

On top of a less-than-stellar free agency, despite working towards extensions for multiple stars, including CeeDee Lamb, none of those deals have come to fruition.

“Everybody certainly has that right,” Jones said of fans’ complaints. “I know where the frustration is, it’s the fact that we haven’t had success in the playoffs to their satisfaction. We know that’s going to be there, but we’re going to stick with what we believe will ultimately get us a championship here for our fans.”