EDITOR’S NOTE: Now that Dallas Cowboys’ 2024 schedule has been released, where do the team go from here? For what it’s worth, no one seems to have a broader, compelling perspective on the current state of arguably the most loved — and hated — franchise in the NFL. Amid one of the most crucial offseasons in team history, Cowboys insider, Tamara Nicole Syas, the co-creator of the Stars Talking Cowboys podcast, provided an array of facts and assessments surrounding the team. From the Cowboys reuniting with featured running back Ezekiel Elliott to the team’s projected regular season record this upcoming season, the avid fanatic who’s suitably known as Cowboy Nikki has gone to great lengths to provide an array of intriguing observations, as only she could.

ON THE COWBOYS’ RE-SIGNING ELLIOTT

You know, many say that bringing Ezekiel Elliott back was a correction of a mistake made at the end of camp last season.

Potential Pros:

The Cowboys need a back that can handle the physical running, catch out of the backfield, all while being able to protect fellow veteran Dak Prescott during running situations when the Cowboys pass. Zeke fits that bill. He will provide a baseline for the other running backs, especially Deuce Vaughn, to stay fresh and change the pace from. That was something that allowed Pollard to thrive weigh the big plays.

He is essentially fresh after playing a backup role in New England. Most importantly was his production last season. He only played in 51 percent of the snaps with the Patriots. Still,  Zeke led the Patriots in rushing (642 yards) and in receptions (51 catches for 313 yards), which means he produced a team-high 955 yards from scrimmage and finished second on New England with five total touchdowns, one behind tight end Hunter Henry’s six receiving touchdowns, though having played 75 percent of the snaps. He is under 30 so he isn’t old.

Potential cons:

Can be carry the load of being a RB1? That still remains after being limited in New England behind backs of lesser quality than himself. Will he still possess the strength and vision to excel in short yardage scenarios? He is now two years older since his last stint with the Cowboys.

Does his wear and tear limit his abilities? Will his presence hold back the younger RBs? Potentially it could if one emerges as a complete every down back. This is season 9 for the rusher. Has he lost too much to be as productive as the Cowboys need him to be?

The season will answer the question. He had already gotten back to work at The Star.

HE’S BAAAAAACK!

FITS AND PICKS: COWBOYS 2024 DRAFT (Theme: Physicality)

Round 1: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma (No. 29 overall): Guyton is a plug-and-play right tackle who has the agility to eventually make the move to the left side if Dallas wants to keep 2022 first-rounder Tyler Smith at left guard. His agility, length and positional upside make him a fantastic fit with Dallas, where a Day 1 starter on the offensive line was a very real need. Overall value: Perfect range. The Cowboys address their most pressing need and land the best available tackle at the end of the first round making this a strong pick.

Round 2: Marshawn Kneeland, DE, Western Michigan (56) : Kneeland has the long arms to take on blockers and the explosive strength to set the edge when teams run at him. He flashes the ability to slip blocks, chases with good effort, runs well for his size and wraps up. Kneeland is a powerful pass-rusher who shoots his hands and drives blockers. He is more of a threat to get to the quarterback than stats would suggest, and he has good upside. He tested well at the combine, moves well laterally and flashes an effective inside move.

WELCOME, ROOK

Round 3: Cooper Beebe, IOL, Kansas State (73) : Beebe could be the most pro-ready member of this draft class, with 48 college starts under his belt. Beebe is a good value at this point in the draft. He will likely move to center and compete for the starting job, but he can provide quality all along the offensive line.

Round 3: Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame (87) : Liufau has excellent length, and he runs well and chases with great effort. He has the ability to shoot his hands and keep blockers off his frame as he pursues. He has good stopping power. He gets to depth and shows good range dropping into underneath coverage. Liufau has the traits to match up with tight ends. He has active hands, which he shows when he is slipping blocks rushing the passer. He had three sacks last season.

Round 5: Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest (174) : Carson is a scheme-versatile corner with good instincts. He flashes the ability to reroute and run with receivers in press. He quickly reads and reacts in zone and off looks. He breaks on the ball and generally does a good job of limiting production after the catch. Carson falls off the occasional tackle, but he is a tough run-defender who fights off blocks and tends to wrap up.

Round 6: Ryan Flournoy, WR, Southeast Missouri State (216) : Combination of both size and speed. Playmaking abilities.  Flournoy has the toughness, frame and big hands to make plays over the middle. He is a strong open-field runner who runs hard after the catch. He averaged 15.4 yards per catch over the past two seasons and ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the combine.

Round 7: Nathan Thomas, OT, Louisiana (233):  Big, fast, and a roadblock for defenders. Thomas is quick with excellent size, and there is a lot to like about his upside. He flashes the ability to move edge defenders in the run game, and he overwhelms second-level defenders in space. Thomas’ frame makes it tough to get around him in pass pro, and he tends to anchor well even though he sets high. He is a two-year starter at left tackle but lined up at right tackle when Louisiana went unbalanced.

Round 7: Justin Rogers, DT, Auburn (244) : An anchor. Big and can tie up multiple blockers in both A-gaps. Rogers is a big nose tackle prospect with the size and strength to occupy blockers and help clog up the middle. He has strong hands and can discard blocks quickly. He flashes the ability to push the pocket rushing the passer.

THE CURRENT STATE OF THE FRANCHISE

The Cowboys won the NFC East and entered the postseason with a chance to play at least twice at home, where they had a 16-game winning streak. They exited as the first No. 2 seed to lose to a conference’s last team in since the 14-team format was adopted in 2020. Dallas trailed by 32 points in the fourth quarter of the 48-32 loss to the Packers. Mike McCarthy’s fourth season as Dallas coach was his first as Prescott’s play-caller. While Prescott led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes and had a career-best completion rate of 69.5 percent, he continued a pattern of spotty postseason play. Prescott is 2-5 in the playoffs. Changes came in 2024.

BRINGING ABOUT ORDER

Cowboys hired Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator. On top of that familiarity with Jones and Cowboys ownership, McCarthy should also know Zimmer quite well, as they faced one another twice a year for five seasons in the NFC North when McCarthy was coaching the Packers and Zimmer the Vikings simultaneously from 2014-2018. Zimmer’s Vikings earned a narrow edge over McCarthy’s Packers in that stretch with Minnesota winning five matchups, Green Bay winning four matchups while one game played in Week 2 of the 2018 season ended a in 29-29 tie. Acting as head coach for the Vikings from 2014-2021, Zimmer constructed five top-10 scoring defenses.

After being promised by the Jones family that the organization was going to be “all-in” on fielding the best team possible for 2024, they have since gone on to have one of the quietest and least-productive off-seasons of any team in the NFL. In the big picture, they have to make firm decisions on the long-term futures of Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons. You can count Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk as one of the many who are getting sick and tired of watching Jones sit on his hands. “When in the hell will the Cowboys gonna get their young star players taken care of? When are the Cowboys gonna wake up? When are they gonna stop being cheap, short-sighted and not as smart as they think they are, when it comes to dealing with their star players? It keeps blowing up in their faces” Florio angrily stated.

Will the Cowboys get what needs to be done accomplished? Or will this indeed blow up in their faces? Cowboys appear to still be hunting for free agents post draft. June 1 brings new money to work with. After that date, we will see how serious the Joneses are about building this team.

THE COWBOYS’ OUTLOOK FOR 2024

With the schedule release upon the horizon in two days, let’s take a look at a blind prediction of the record without seeing the order of the schedule.

The NFC East play should be a (4-2) record. Cowboys should win all of their home games then pick up losses in Philly and Washington. Prescott still should have the Giants’ number.

The Cowboys play the four AFC North teams. I can see the Cowboys splitting with those teams. In paper they should win at home versus Cincinnati and on the road in Pittsburgh. So that’s (2-2).

The Cowboys also play the NFC South division. The Cowboys should go (3-1) against this weaker division. They host the Saints and Bucs which should help them beat those teams while splitting the road games with Carolina and Atlanta.

Next go the NFC games based on standings. The Cowboys will once again fall out west at the 49ers while contributing continuing to tame the Lions at home. (1-1)

Then the infamous 17th game features a home game for state bragging rights against the up-and-coming Texans. Cowboys somehow manage to win this because they are at home.

So to break it down, the Cowboys figure to teeter on the verge of 12-5 again, yet slip to 11-6, in my estimation. Here are my bold predictions:

8-1 at home

3-5 on the road

4-2 versus NFC East opponents

8-4 versus NFC opponents

3-2 versus AFC opponents

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