The 2024 offseason has been a tough one for many Cowboys fans. Not only did the Cowboys lose more quality free agents than they gained, but they invested in a fair number of project players in the draft at a time immediate solutions were required. To make matters worse, many of the best teams around them took steps to get better, further widening the gap and further illustrating winning may not be the No. 1 priority of Forbes’ most valuable franchise.
Doom and gloom aside, many fans know the biggest gains are often made by organic improvement from within. Free-agent additions don’t always live up to their billing and plug-and-play draft picks don’t always hit the ground running like they’re supposed to. Sometimes it’s the forgotten soldiers. Sometimes it’s the guys everyone’s betting against. Sometimes it’s the perfect skillset finding the perfect opportunity under the perfect conditions.
If all the boom-or-bust players boom, it could mean big things for the Cowboys in 2024. It won’t take players exceeding all expectations either. If just a handful of players live up to the top of their potential this season, it should be more than enough to propel the Cowboys into and through the postseason.
Admittedly high variance, these five players have a level of bust potential that can’t be ignored, but they could also catapult Dallas into greatness which makes them today’s topic of conversation.
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Right tackle Terence Steele was once an elite run blocker. Before suffering a knee injury late in 2022, Steele and guard Zack Martin formed arguably the best run-blocking tandem in the NFL. Their play together resulted in new contracts for each in the 2023 offseason. While their play in 2023 failed to reach 2022 levels, elite levels are still a reasonable expectation for 2024.
Why he booms: Because Steele did it before. Injuries are nasty things and knee injuries like the one Steele suffered take extra time to overcome. The Cowboys gave Steele a five-year extension based on that timing so it’s fair to say they expect him progress further here in Year 2.
Why he busts: Joe Philbin, Steele’s biggest advocate, is gone and Mike Solari is coaching the offensive line for his second year. The Cowboys don’t appear to be leaning on the pin and pull concept Steele and Martin dominated with in 2022. Under Solari they are mixing a wide range of blocking schemes with an emphasis on…
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