The most heavily contested position battle heading into Dallas Cowboys training camp is at running back<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dallas completely overhauled the backfield this offseason, picking up two backs each in free agency and the draft. Right now, they have five running backs that they\u2019re bringing to camp\u2014six if you count Hunter Luepke as a running back\u2014and not all of them are going to make the final 53. There aren\u2019t enough seats at the table to feed everyone, so who is going to be left without a chair?<\/p>\n The Cowboys brought in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders as free agents. The starting job will almost certainly go to one of them, with the one missing out likely to miss the final cut.<\/p>\n Williams likely has the leg up on Sanders right now. He\u2019s three years younger\u2014the average career lifespan for an NFL running back\u2014and he has more of an RB1 physical profile than Sanders. Williams flashed promise as a rookie in Denver before a knee injury cut his sophomore campaign short. After disappointing years in 2023 and 2024, can he regain the form he showed in Year 1?<\/p>\n Sanders is older, but his high-end production exceeds Williams\u2019. He wasn\u2019t great in Carolina the last two years (in fact, he was bad), but he was a stud in Philadelphia in 2022<\/a>, earning a Pro Bowl nod after rushing for 1,200+ yards and 11 touchdowns.<\/p>\n Williams is the more physical, bruising runner, while Sanders is shiftier and more explosive. The question becomes, what kind of running team do the Cowboys want to be? If it\u2019s a between-the-tackles, run the ball down your throat style, that favors Williams. A more outside-zone scheme would favor Sanders.<\/p>\n Right now, the edge goes to Williams. This battle will be a fun watch at training camp.<\/p>\n In today\u2019s NFL, teams typically carry four running backs. That leaves three spots for four players: the two rookies in Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, and the returning veterans in Deuce Vaughn and Hunter Luepke.<\/p>\n Both Blue and Mafah are likely to make the roster. That might seem presumptuous\u2014especially in Mafah\u2019s case, considering he\u2019s a seventh-rounder\u2014but Dallas seems to really like both players. Blue is your classic change-of-pace guy, and all indications from the team this offseason indicate they\u2019re keen on finding a role for him. Mafah is your Williams-style bruiser, and it\u2019s not a huge leap to assume the team is looking to make Mafah-Blue its one-two combo of the future.<\/p>\n Vaughn looks to be the odd man out. Luepke is more of a fullback, and Dallas has no other players on the roster to fill that role. With the selection of Blue, Vaughn becomes redundant. Maybe he holds a spot on the roster if he becomes primarily a special-teams player, but as far as a ball-carrier, he\u2019s likely out.<\/p>\n The remaining spots likely go to Blue, Luepke, and Mafah.<\/p>\n With the George Pickens trade<\/a>, Dallas completely revamped their wide receiver room. CeeDee Lamb is locked in as WR1, and Pickens slides seamlessly into WR2. Behind them are a handful of players who could make a claim to that spot.<\/p>\n Jalen Tolbert is the leader heading into training camp. He broke out in Year 3<\/a>, with career highs in catches (49), yards (610), and touchdowns (7). His seven touchdown catches also led the team. With Pickens commanding more defensive attention this year, it\u2019s fair to expect another step forward from Tolbert. The Cowboys invested a third-round pick in him, and 2025 might be his best opportunity yet to prove he belongs.<\/p>\n Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, and Jonathan Mingo will be an interesting triumvirate to watch this year at camp.<\/p>\n Mingo is the most intriguing of the three. He was acquired at last year\u2019s trade deadline, so he\u2019ll get a pass for doing nothing on the field in 2024. Jerry Jones was vocal about his admiration of Mingo coming out of college, and that may buy him a longer leash and extra reps in camp. The problem? Mingo just might not be any good. He\u2019s a physical specimen\u20146-2, 220 pounds, sub-4.4 speed\u2014but everything else you want in a receiver (route running, timing, hands, yards after catch) has been inconsistent.<\/p>\n Brooks and Flournoy are the less sexy names, but very much in the mix. They will have a real shot if either can earn Dak Prescott’s<\/a> trust. Both guys were in the building last year (Brooks is heading into his third year), and this coaching staff appears open to rewarding performance over pedigree.<\/p>\n The wildcard is KaVontae Turpin. An All-Pro return man, he showed last year that he can be more than just a gadget guy on offense. When given an opportunity to run routes, Turpin was good. And more importantly, Dak trusts him. With a competition this wide open, he has as good an opportunity as any to slot in and take the job.<\/p>\n Lamb and Pickens will demand most of the attention. Whoever wins the WR3 job won\u2019t need to carry the passing game\u2014they just need to win in one-on-one coverage. For now, it\u2019s Tolbert\u2019s job to lose.<\/p>\nThe Likely Starter Battle<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Who Fills Out The Depth Chart?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Who Will Grab The WR3 Role?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Jalen](\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/06\/Jalen-Tolbert-1024x683.jpg\")
The Clubhouse Leader<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Jockeying For Position<\/strong><\/h4>\n
How Will The Edge Rotation Shake Out?<\/strong><\/h3>\n