Dallas, TX
Cowboys mailbag: Questions on rookies, the bye week and KaVontae Turpin
Every week, we take questions on X (Twitter) and Facebook about Dallas Cowboys players and other issues surrounding the team. So let’s get right into it.
“Which of the rookies do you think have the biggest chance of make the final 53? And do any of the vets have to be worried about being replaced by the rookies?”
(@Rich Gillet on Facebook)
Mike: It wouldn’t be surprising if all the rookies make it on the team this year. The only one who might not is Nathan Thomas, depending on how the other offensive tackles develop. People were wondering if Brock Hoffman would start at center, but now Cooper Beebe poses a big challenge and might end up taking his spot before the season starts.
Ryan Flournoy poses a significant challenge to some of the veterans at the wide receiver position. During mini-camp, he left a lasting impression and even caught the attention of his fellow players. His emergence as a strong contender jeopardizes some of the bottom of the roster wide receivers who have hung around for a few years.
Justin Rogers serves more as a replacement for Johnathan Hankins. His presence, however, does pose a potential challenge for Chauncey Golston, as it may limit his playing time. Of course, this assumes that Golston can establish his role within the defense before the cuts are made.
Dana: The first three draft picks of 2024 should find themselves on the final 53: Tyler Guyton, Marshawn Kneeland, and Cooper Beebe. Guyton and Beebe have a good chance to take over the starting roles for left tackle and center at some point this season, even if they aren’t quite ready for that responsibility Week 1. If Beebe does become the starting center, expect Brock Hoffman to remain on the roster for depth. The same might not be said for Chuma Edoga at the tackle position if Guyton solidifies his starting role, as there are a few younger tackles the team might want to develop instead. For example, the seventh-round pick Nathan Thomas.
The majority of defensive end snaps will obviously belong to DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons with an increase of snaps for Sam Williams from last year, but look for Kneeland to share a piece of that pie. Depending on how he is able to take advantage of his reps at training camp, that may not leave much room for Chauncey Golston when it comes time to set the 53-man roster.
As for the other draft picks, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see all of them make it to the 53-man roster. There were a lot of holes in the team before the draft and the Cowboys haven’t necessarily been shy about how much they are going to depend on their young guys this season. Marist Liufau (LB), Caelen Carson (CB), and Ryan Flournoy (WR) all have a really good chance to see in-game snaps this season. Justin Rogers (DT) could be grouped in there as well based on the lack of depth at DT.
“In your opinion, is the Week 7 Bye too early, too late or just right?”
(@MrEd315 on Twitter)
Mike: It’s definitely a bit too soon for an 18-week season. Going 11 weeks without a break, especially with the Thanksgiving portion where they have to play three games in 11 days, is a demanding stretch that impacts the players’ stamina.
There is an optimistic view, however, for where the Cowboys take this year’s bye week. The Week 7 bye allows the team to rest, recover, and gear up for a crucial match against their fierce rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. Historically, the Cowboys have a strong record of 4-1 in the last five years after returning from a bye week, which bodes well for their chances of defeating the 49ers on their home turf. This early bye week could be just what Dallas needs to secure a major victory.
Dana: It’s always a bit difficult to judge the best time for a bye during the season as there are so many factors that could affect when a team needs the relief. Things like durability, injuries and opponents all play a role. Outside factors aside, the ideal bye would be smack dab in the middle of the season, Week 8 – Week 10. However, when you look at who the Cowboys play after their bye in Week 7, it might do them well to get the extra prep. The Cowboys will face the 49ers in Week 8. The 49ers have been dubbed as the Cowboys’ boogey man as of late, so the extra rest and prep might be the remedy needed to relieve that years-long headache.
The Cowboys also have a little bit of a mini-bye between Week 13 (Thanksgiving) and Week 14 (Monday Night). Hopefully that bit of a break later in the season will be enough to help the team finish the season strong.
“How much playing time will KaVontae Turpin get his year and will he get more snaps at WR this year?”
(@Glen Stevens on Facebook)
Mike: It seems likely that he will have an increased workload this year based on the signs we’ve seen so far. His name has been mentioned frequently during the install period, indicating that the coaches are exploring new ways to utilize his skills. Once the team arrives in Oxnard and we observe how the players perform and are utilized, we will have a better understanding of what to expect from Turpin this season.
Don’t sleep on Kavontae Turpin being a possible WR3 this year. He has a great day at OTAs, especially when taking reps with the ones. pic.twitter.com/ktVVAuGlKC
— Jess Nevarez (@JessNevarez_) May 22, 2024
Utilizing Turpin from the backfield or on jet sweeps and screen passes could greatly benefit the offense and force defenses to cover more ground horizontally. This, in turn, could create more opportunities for players like Brandin Cooks, who has shown to be more comfortable on this offense during the offseason.
Dana: KaVontae Turpin had a pretty big jump in snaps since Mike McCarthy took over play calling for this offense. In his first season he had only one reception, whereas in year two, that number jumped to 12. With those 12 receptions last year, Turpin had 127 yards and three touchdowns. This year, the trust McCarthy has in Turpin should be even stronger. It also works in Turpin’s favor that there isn’t really a set WR3. The previous WR3 for the Cowboys had 57 targets last year. It should be expected that a portion of those should be reserved for Turpin.
The Cowboys are also testing out Deuce Vaughn for kick returns this season. Depending on how that goes, it may give the Cowboys more confidence in expanding Turpin’s role in the receiving game.
Poll
Will KaVontae Turpin be this year’s WR3 for Dallas?
Be sure to check Blogging The Boys as well as @kenfigkowboy and @day_nuh_bee on X and also Facebook for the weekly post, asking for your questions to include in the weekly mailbag. Many thanks to everyone who send in your questions and votes.
It’s hard to find much fault at all with the Dallas Cowboys draft class this season.
Dallas shored up three of their biggest holes on defense by selecting safety Caleb Downs, EDGE Malachi Lawrence, and linebacker Jaishawn Barham with their first three picks. They also added another linebacker, bringing in veteran Dee Winters in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
We already dove into which selection was our favorite from the class, which was an easy decision. Downs checks every box and has been called a perfect fit for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Least favorite pick has nothing to do with talent
Choosing Downs was easy when it came to a favorite pick, but deciding on which one is the least favorite is far more difficult. Dallas maximized value and filled needs at every position, but if there was one pick that had question marks, it was Devin Moore, the Florida cornerback who was taken at No. 114 in Round 4.
To be upfront, there’s nothing to dislike about Moore as a player. He’s a talented boundary cornerback and he proved himself against some of the elite players in the SEC. The only true concern is his injury history.
While Moore played in 11 games this past season, he never suited up for more than seven in his three previous campaigns. He missed roughly 20 games due to injuries, with shoulder issues ending his 2022 and 2024 campaigns early. Prior to the draft, Dane Brugler said Moore’s injury history is a “major red flag.”
Devin Moore could prove the doubters wrong
Despite the red flags, Brugler saw a player with “rare height and body length,” making him someone to keep an eye on.
The Cowboys decided it was worth the roll of the dice, but it’s not an easy gamble to make. Dallas saw multiple cornerbacks battle injuries in 2025, including DaRon Bland. They were unable to turn to 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. as he was rehabbing a torn ACL.
That’s what makes this the “least favorite” selection, even though Moore has the talent to make the pick look brilliant.
Cowboys have shaky history when gambling on injury concerns
Of course, it’s going to be hard to sell fans on a player with so many injuries in the past.
Dallas hasn’t had a great track record when gambling in this department. They’re still waiting on Revel, but have also struck out with their own players.
In 2022, Michael Gallup signed a five-year, $62.5 million extension while recovering from a torn ACL. He was never the same player, and was released following the 2023 season.
They also bet on Terence Steele following a torn ACL suffered in 2022. He signed a new deal ahead of the 2023 season, landing a five-year, $86.8 million extension. While Steele has had more success than Gallup, he hasn’t lived up to that contract and has struggled to regain the form he had before the knee injury.
The good news with Moore is that it’s not a knee issue, and he isn’t on a massive contract. Still, there’s some risk here and it’s at a position where they need less risk.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 is about a month away and the FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park is expected to be one of the biggest draws for soccer fans coming to Dallas from around the globe.
The event features live match broadcasts, concerts and other events from June 11 to July 19. With crowds expected throughout the monthlong celebration, parking on private property around Fair Park could reach prices unlike what many visitors have seen before.
Nathan Jones, a South Dallas homeowner licensed by the city, offers 10 parking spots in his backyard.
He said the price depends on the special event happening at Fair Park. For the State Fair of Texas, Jones said he can charge about $30. For Texas-OU weekend, he can charge up to $100. Jones said he expects to charge up to $250 per spot during FIFA Fan Fest.
“Since it’s a month-long, that’s a month worth of parking versus us having to wait until the weekend to make our money,” Jones said. “We can make money throughout the week, so hopefully we can capitalize.”
The city of Dallas is allowing private property owners in the Fair Park designated parking area to apply for a $100 license and charge motorists up to 150% of that fee. That means the maximum parking price would top out at $250 per vehicle.
Zach Thompson, who owns Southside Parking, said the setup can benefit both the city and South Dallas property owners.
“We provide a safer parking opportunity than what you find a lot of times inside Fair Park,” Thompson said. “We stay with the vehicles, we monitor them, we make sure that there is no issue.”
Thompson said visitors should make sure they are parking in a permitted lot.
“Let me be real clear … they gotta be careful, if you try to park on the street or take you on the back streets,” Thompson said. “They’re not permitted. Only the permitted parking lots are in the Fair Park grounds.”
FIFA parking license holders must apply by June 3 and pay the $100 license fee.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
A man was shot and killed while attempting to carjack another driver outside a Garland convenience store on Sunday afternoon.
Garland Police said officers were called to a crash near Highway 66 and Dairy Road at about 3:30 p.m.
When they arrived, they learned the driver of a green car had collided with two other vehicles on the road and then all of the drivers involved stopped at a gas station on the corner. That’s where police said the driver of the green car attempted to take several other vehicles in the gas station parking lot by force.
The man was seen checking car handles and managed to get inside one car, but was unable to drive away.
“Those attempts were unsuccessful,” police said.
The man then crossed Dairy Road and went to a convenience store parking lot. As a man in a Chevrolet Impala pulled into the parking lot, police said the driver involved in the crash confronted him as soon as he stopped and started to get out of the vehicle.
Police said the man’s family was in the Impala, including two adult women and five children.
There was a struggle between the two men and police said the driver of the Impala pulled out a gun and shot the other man at least once.
The injured man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died. His identity will be released once his family has been notified of his death.
No other injuries were reported.
Police said the driver of the Impala remained at the scene and has been cooperative with investigators. No charges have been filed.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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