If Dallas hopes to win a title in 2024, these Cowboys must improve. The Dallas Cowboys will look on a number of players to step up and make more of an impact in the upcoming 2024 season. Let’s examine the three players that the Cowboys need to replace:
Mazi Smith
The Cowboys selected Mazi Smith with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Despite having the perfect frame for a defensive lineman who eats up space at 6’3″ and 325 pounds, Smith hasn’t played up to Dallas’ expectations in the draft.
As a nose tackle, Smith’s main duty is to dominate against the run and stabilize the interior defensive line. For Dallas to get the player they were looking for when they used a first-round choice on him last year, he needs to get better as a run defender. Dan Quinn reportedly wanted him to drop weight the previous season in order to develop into a more penetration-oriented defensive lineman, but it is not his strongest suit. Smith needs to get better at disrupting the backfield and efficiently shedding blocks. Should he succeed in doing so, the linebackers will be under less pressure, making the defense against the run more potent.
Jalen Tolbert
The Cowboys need a dependable third option in their passing game behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks after wide receiver Michael Gallup left. Now, Jalen Tolbert assumes what ought to be the obvious No. 3 receiving position. Tolbert participated in all 17 games in 2023, starting six of them.
He caught 22 catches for 268 yards and two scores while being targeted 36 times. Tolbert needs to come up and deliver reliable output for Dak Prescott. It will relieve some of the pressure on Lamb and Cooks and improve the Cowboys passing offense if he can manage the added workload.
Terence Steele
In 2023, Terence Steele had a disappointing season with the Cowboys.
He had a fantastic season the previous two years, but suffered a serious setback the next year, most likely due to an ACL tear at the end of 2022.
Terence Steele's 12 charged pressures vs Eagles, Wk 9 pic.twitter.com/cHYojPVBxi
— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) November 8, 2023
2023 was a difficult season for Steele, especially in pass protection. Steele was ranked 70th out of 81 offensive tackles by Pro Football Focus, which put him in the lower half of the field. Such weaknesses at the offensive line can eliminate a high-achieving team’s prospects of being a serious contender for the championship.