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The dog days of summer are officially here. Offseason workouts are well underway and the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff is putting this year's roster through its paces for the first time. It is going to be a busy offseason for the Cowboys.
Mike McCarthy will have his hands full installing his offense for the first time in Dallas and Dan Quinn has plenty of work to do integrating the defenders his front office picked up for him in off the trade market and in the draft. These are the days when the players who will emerge as difference-makers in the regular season start their journey.
The Cowboys young roster is riddled with players that could step out as Dallas' next breakout star, including these three.
Sam Williams, DE
Sam Williams might have been a breakout star a season ago if it wasn't for Dallas' outrageous pass-rushing depth. Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence played like the superstars they are and both Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler were highly productive in snaps that could have otherwise gone to Williams. When Williams did touch the field in 2022 he was a problem.
Williams put his athleticism on display for four sacks in his rookie season. The young pass rusher's prowess off the edge was apparent, but he had productive games even when he wasn't getting to the opposing quarterback. Williams played more than 20 snaps on seven different occasions in the 2022-23 season. While none of his sacks came during those contests, he did put up an impressive 14 quarterback pressures during the games he played the most in.
The bad news for Williams is that snaps haven't become any easier to come by in Dallas' defensive ends room. The second-year player out of Ole Miss will have to make the most of every single opportunity he gets if he wants to breakout as a key piece of Dallas' defense. The good news is that he has already shown he has the tools to do exactly that.
Jalen Tolbert, WR
It wouldn't be fair to give up on Jalen Tolbert just yet. His rookie season was certainly not all he hoped it would be, but there is still plenty of time for him to settle in and become a productive NFL receiver. Tolbert wasn't ready for the NFL last season. That's the plain and simple truth. That's the reason he didn't touch the field until week three and why when he did finally suit up he only played 89 snaps and got three targets all year long.
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That being said, it's a new year. Tolbert is a year older, the wide receiver room is stronger overall, and there are a lot more reasons why Tolbert should be more comfortable than he was a season ago. A full offseason of working with the quarterback he'll be playing with will be a huge help.
Remember, Tolbert only played five games with Dak Prescott last season thanks to the thumb injury that sidelined Prescott in Week 1. It's reasonable to believe that just wasn't enough time for the rookie wide receiver to find his way in the offense. Things could be very different in 2023 if Tolbert can mesh with Prescott and the rest of Dallas' offense.
Hunter Luepke, FB
If there is one underrated free agent capable of carving out a significant role for himself in 2023, it's North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke. Luepke's services in the backfield are going to be in high demand with Ezekiel Elliott's pass blocking abilities no linger available. That gig alone might be enough to land Luepke a spot on the 53-man roster, but he also mirrors a lot of the same traits as some of the leaders of the modern-day fullback renaissance like Patrick Ricard and Kyle Juszczyk.
Luepke exhibited competency as a runner, a pass-catcher, and both a pass and run blocker during his time at NDSU. His combination of size, speed, and blocking ability make him a prime candidate to make the 53-man roster as a Swiss Army knife, do-it-all player.
There is always room for that type of contributor, even in today's NFL. If Luepke's talents translate to the professional game as well as they did in college, the Cowboys could have the next big thing at fullback on their hands.
