The Dallas Cowboys have one of the best starting lineups in the NFL heading into the 2024 season, ESPN says

With training camp less than a month away, speculation continues about what NFL teams will look like once everyone reaches Week 1.

ESPN recently ranked the projected starting lineup of all NFL teams, ranking the Cowboys as the sixth-best group in the league.

With usual suspects like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Zack Martin on the roster, the Cowboys ranked third in the NFC, behind the San Francisco 49ers (first overall) and the Detroit Lions (fifth overall). Dallas also ranked first in the NFC East, with the Philadelphia Eagles in 10th place and the Washington Commanders and New York Giants near the bottom of the league (30th and 32nd, respectively).

The Kansas City Chiefs (second), Baltimore Ravens (third) and New York Jets (fourth) also ranked higher than the Cowboys.

NFL analyst Mike Clay pointed to running back Micah Parsons as the main reason for the Cowboys’ high ranking. The 25-year-old is one of the league’s best defenders and a three-time All-Pro selection. He leads the NFL in pass rush win rate with 84 wins in 238 plays since 2021, a 35% rate. Parsons also ranks fourth in total sacks (40.5) over the last three seasons.

Instead, Clay named running backs as the Cowboys’ biggest drawback.

With Tony Pollard in Tennessee, Dallas will have to rely on 28-year-old Ezekiel Elliott and other unproven talents to carry the load. Elliott is Dallas’ third all-time leading rusher, and was New England’s leading rusher last season, despite recording just 642 rushing yards.

NFL analyst Seth Walder believes all eyes should be on rookie offensive linemen Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe, as they will play a crucial role in protecting quarterback QB Dak Prescott, assuming they earn starting jobs.

Oklahoma’s Guyton was selected in the first round of the NFL draft with the 29th pick, while Kansas State’s Beebe was selected with the 73rd pick in the third round.

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