Spagnola: Lessening serious ‘focus’ around here

The Raiders will play the final of three preseason games at AT&T Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Yes, the penultimate tryout for many players before the necessary NFL roster cuts at 3 p.m. this Tuesday, with the Cowboys having to go from 87 to 53, then adding 16 guys to the practice squad the next day.

Then another full week of practice before going into full gear on Labor Day for the season opener against the New York Football Giants at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 10, at MetLife Stadium.

So, it’s been 33 days since the Cowboys flew to Oxnard, Calif., for the start of training camp, with two preseason games and about a dozen padded sessions under their chin straps, more than enough time to analyze the worries they left with here at The Star on July 24.

In head coach Mike McCarthy’s coaching jargon, phrase doesn’t include the word “concerns,” but rather “focus,” which means a higher priority of attention. So there’s been plenty of time to soothe many a “focus.”

Let us begin with Terence Steele. The concern has been whether the starting right offensive lineman will be able to return from his ruptured ACL in time to start the 2023 season. The answer is an emphatic yes. Steele was ready when the pads were put on, and given what we’ve seen so far in practice, the starting right tackle is set to play. “I’ll just say this about Terence, it’s amazing,” McCarthy added. He hasn’t suffered any setbacks… He appears to be in good shape. “I’m extremely impressed.”

Then there’s Tony Pollard, who sustained an ankle injury and a bone fracture in his lower leg during the playoff game versus San Francisco. Is he ever going to be the same guy again, or will he be back in time to replace the banished Ezekiel Elliott in the season opener? The Cowboys gradually reintroduced Pollard into training camp sessions, knowing they wouldn’t win the Super Bowl in July. Pollard, on the other hand, appears to have found his stride in the last two weeks. The franchised running back ($10.09 million) hasn’t lost a step in his quickness or ability to make quick cutbacks at peak speed. There will be no more “focus” here.

Michael Gallup is up next. Would the wide receiver, nearly 20 months removed from his torn ACL suffered on Jan. 4, 2022, be fully recovered and back to his former self for the start of the 2023 season after suffering for the entirety of last season? Check. Michael Gallup is the same Michael Gallup that caught 59 catches for 843 yards and five touchdowns as the third receiver behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb in the 2020 season. Not only was he physically the same, but he was also mentally the same, just full of confidence again.

There was also “focus” on Tyron Smith. Will the perennial Pro Bowl left tackle be able to return to his pre-injury form after tearing a muscle away from his lower leg bone late in training camp last summer, causing him to miss the first 12 games of the season? He then struggled to return to right tackle instead of left tackle at the end of the 2022 season. Thus far, so good. And he’s in good health at 32, about to enter his 13th year. The good news is that if he struggles and isn’t the same old Tyron, the Cowboys can move Tyler Smith from left guard to left tackle in the long run, and you’d rather attempt to find a capable backup guard than one at left tackle.

If the Cowboys had not made pre-draft trades for Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore, there would have been “focus” on wide receiver and cornerback. Check here, check here.

Dalton Schultz is now a tight end after declining the Cowboys’ three-year offer and instead signing a one-year, $6 million guaranteed deal with the Texans, $4.5 million of which is guaranteed up front. He did, after all, catch 57 catches for 577 yards and five scores last season. What would the Cowboys do if he wasn’t there? So, Jake Ferguson, welcome to your second year. Peyton Hendershot, you, too. In the second round, the Cowboys made a preemptive strike by selecting Luke Schoonmaker. And don’t forget about Sean McKeon, the jack of all tight end trades, including inline and H-back blocking.

This bunch immediately becomes a better blocking unit in my opinion, especially with Ferguson on the field. Ferguson evolved into a serious goal-line threat only the other day in padded practice, catching two touchdown receptions from Dak Prescott from six and one yards out. Unfortunately, rookie free agent John Stephens Jr. tore his ACL in Saturday’s game against Seattle. Otherwise, there would have been a larger group to reduce this “focus,” which projects to be the necessary threat by committee.

A big check mark here.

After last year’s star, Brett Maher, flamed out in the first playoff game in Tampa, Fla., missing the four extra points on that incredibly uneven surface, there was tremendous “focus” on kicker. What would the Cowboys do while attempting to replace a kicker who hit 90% of his regular-season field goals, including nine of 11 from 50 yards or longer?

At this point, they’re all in on rookie Brandon Aubrey, a former soccer player who has been a kicker in the USFL for the previous two seasons, making 32 of 37 field goals and 37 of 39 extra points. And, to be clear, “all in” refers to the final preseason game. However, the Cowboys are quite confident in his talent and potential to kick in the NFL, but they will need to be patient in order to keep up with the 28-year-old. He must excel at kicking’s two Cs: consistency and composure.

Keep hearing about veteran Robbie Gould as a viable option if the Cowboys need to pivot, but understand that whoever signs Gould must also find an accompanying kickoff specialist because not only does Gould struggle with that aspect of the kicking game, but he’s been quoted as saying he doesn’t want to kick off.

These are the majority of the “focuses” that have been addressed or satisfied coming into the final preseason game. One would be the backup offensive linemen, specifically tackle and guard, as Matt Farniok appears to be the backup center. Candidates include Josh Ball, Matt Waletzko, T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, and Asim Richards, all of whom have no NFL experience, while veteran free agent Chuma Edoga is recovering from a bone bruise caused by his hyperextended knee. We’ll see what happens here.

Then there’s linebacker, after losing DeMarvion Overshown to a torn ACL last Saturday. With Micah Parsons playing so much defensive end, there isn’t much experience behind them after the two major starters, Leighton Vander Esch and Damone Clark. When safeties like Jayris Kearse and Marquese Bell play sort of that large nickel linebacker place, we’re talking about Jabril Cox, Malik Jefferson, Devin Harper, Isaiah Land, and Tyrus Wheat. Land and Wheat are rookie undrafted free agents. Last season, Jefferson did not appear in a single game. Harper appeared in seven games as a rookie, all on special teams and not on defense. Last year, Cox appeared in nine games, largely on special teams, with 36 defensive snaps.

Don’t you think that’s a little thin? However, if there is a long-term need, Parsons may become a full-time linebacker.

But, you know what, that’s about all the “focuses” the Cowboys must be worried with as they prepare for the Giants’ season opening in two weeks. Not a bad way to start the 2023 season, especially given McCarthy, COO Stephen Jones, and owner Jerry Jones have all stated that the roster’s depth will make the cut to 53 on Tuesday one of the most difficult in years.

So “focuses” were satisfied. Enough for a few sighs of relief to be heard around here.