The Dallas Cowboys have a way of creating competition at every position every year when training camp rolls around. The best way to get the best and most out of a player is to have another player who challenges them day in and day out for his spot. You have to do it that way so not one player can feel as if their job is safe or that they don't have to work too hard.
There are many veteran and rookie players on the team who have a lot to prove and are a lock to make the roster. As we know, injuries, suspensions, and other incidents occur each offseason so players have to understand that what they do now could benefit or diminish their chances of making the team.
Each player has to take each practice like it could be their last because you have to show these coaches why you deserve a spot on the team.
There are a few training camp battles I am looking forward to, as well as the rest of the Cowboys fans out there. The Cowboys have added free agents in free agency and rookies in this year's draft to create competition at every position there is on the practice field, so let's take a look at those battles. There will likely be some tough battles ahead, Dallas Cowboys News noted.
Jourdan Lewis vs Anthony Brown
The exciting battle that not everyone is talking about that will happen in training camp will be between Jourdan Lewis [VIDEO] and Anthony Brown. New Defensive Back Coach, Kris Richard, has implemented his scheme and has made some significant changes to the defense as he wants bigger cornerbacks playing on the outside.
Jourdan Lewis played all of his NFL snaps as the second string cornerback in which he had a solid season. He struggled early on as he was beaten on occasions but as the year went by he grew more confident and played much better. He will look to build on his success last season and work to improve his craft as he gets ready for year two.
Blogging The Boys noted that it was a bit surprising when the Dallas Cowboys selected Jourdan Lewis.
Third-year cornerback, Anthony Brown, in his rookie campaign, played great as a slot corner which seemed to be his best position. In 2017, injuries forced Brown to move to the outside where he showed his weaknesses and was frequently beaten over the top giving up numerous touchdowns.
As we fast forward to this offseason, many people believe Jourdan Lewis will transition over to the slot position due to his lack of height and weight. At Michigan, he was a great slot corner as he gave up a small percentage of completions because of the aggressive swagger he plays with.
The battle between Brown and Lewis will be a fight to the very end as these two hungry corners look to show who the better man is for the position. Brown knows the system and has played the slot position is both the past few seasons, but Lewis has a knack of not letting his guy bully and get by him in one-on-one situations and that is the mentality a slot corner needs to have. This battle will be a fun one to watch in training camp so let us all get our popcorn ready for a showdown.
Rico Gathers vs Geoff Swaim
The Cowboys drafted Rico Gathers in the 2016 NFL Draft after four seasons as a college basketball player at Baylor University, 247 Sports reported. The coaches raved about his athletic ability and his potential, but they also felt he's not passionate about Football. The question then becomes, is Gathers willing to put the hard work in to claim the starting role? He will have to answer that question when he can show what he brings to the table this offseason.
Gathers will be going into his third season without even playing a regular season snap, Jason Garrett spoke to the media and he feels Gathers is not ready for the NFL just yet. That's not great news for someone who said he will be the next great tight end.
RJ Ochoa of Blogging The Boys wrote how Gathers mentioned blocking is not one of his strong suites. Gathers has to narrow down the playbook and blocking assignments if he wants to see the field.
Blake Jarwin was an undrafted tight end out of Oklahoma State who the Cowboys brought in as a rookie free agent. He showed enough promise last offseason in blocking assignments to stick around on the 53-man roster, noted Landry Hat. So far, in organized team activities and minicamps this year, he has made significant strides to earn a chance at the starting position. Jarwin is a decent blocker but his skills can be best used as a pass catcher who can pick up first downs and move the chains.
Now that Jason Witten and backup tight end James Hanna have retired, the Cowboys need a complete tight end who can not only help in the running game but also be a threat in the passing game.
This is where the opportunity for Gathers and Jarwin arise to see who deserves the starting spot. Gathers has to narrow down the playbook and blocking assignments to get on the field, and Jarwin needs to show what talent he has and why he should start.
These two training camp battles are very important because, on both sides of the ball, these positions could be the difference between winning and losing. The slot corner position is one of the most important positions on defense because you are playing the fastest guy on offense and you have to fight through everything that goes on in the middle of the field. The tight end position is your security blanket when things break down in the pocket.
They help seal the edges on running plays and twist stunts by the defensive line. Both positions are very important to an offense and defense who wants to be successful, so it will be interesting to see who will rise to the top in these two battles.
