It’s a brand new season of football, meaning we get a couple of new-look teams in the Dallas Cowboys and the San Diego Chargers.
The Cowboys will still be led by franchise quarterback Tony Romo and his ever-reliably receiver Dez Bryant, but they’ll have to settle for a new running back after DeMarco Murray’s exit. Meanwhile, the Chargers take a look at a couple of new players as they build around their own franchise quarterback, Philip Rivers. Read on for a taste of the preseason action to come.
Such begins life without DeMarco Murray, last year’s top rusher with 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns. Murray left the Dallas Cowboys in free agency last season when the organization felt that he was too expensive to keep. Instead, the Cowboys decided to spend their resources by signing wide receiver Dez Bryant to a $70 million contract over five years.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Bryant and quarterback Tony Romo may yet again dazzle behind an excellent Dallas offensive line. The Cowboys even loaded up on their o-line too, drafting Chaz Green in the third round to replace swing tackle Jermey Parnell and signing projected first-rounder La’el Collins as a free agent after he went undrafted due to legal issues. It’ll be interesting to see how the rookie offensive linemen defend Dallas’ franchise quarterback.
Now without Murray, a bevy of Cowboys running backs in Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams will compete for a roster spot starting with this first game of the preseason. Randle showed flashes of brilliance last year, rushing for 6.7 yards per carry as Murray’s backup. McFadden was the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, but he still has to prove that he can do better than last year’s 534 yards and two touchdowns on 155 carries.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Cowboys will still test their offseason signing in defensive end Greg Hardy, who had double-digit sacks in 2012 and 2013 before being shelved for 15 games last season due to domestic abuse allegations. He’s suspended for the first four games of the regular season, but the team may want to see him in action at least in the preseason opener. The Cowboys could also use this game to evaluate first round draft pick cornerback Byron Jones against a competent passing team in San Diego.
The Cowboys have lost their last four preseason games.
After pre-draft rumors that quarterback Philip Rivers would be traded for a high draft pick, the San Diego Chargers decided to stick by their man. Rivers returns in his 10th season as the starting signal caller. He’ll have some help to protect him this time around plus a few weapons under his sleeve.
It starts with the re-signing of left tackle King Dunlap, who had a big season last year defending Rivers’ blind side. The Chargers also brought in guard Orlando Franklin through free agency for more protection. Rivers may also be able to rely on Chris Watt, who enters camp as the starting center. Five different centers snapped the ball to Rivers last season, so having one reliable starter doing so this year should make the San Diego quarterback more comfortable.
The departure of Ryan Mathews in free agency means that a new running back starts behind the Chargers’ revamped offensive line. This preseason opener will give the Chargers a first look of first round draft pick Melvin Gordon in action. The former Wisconsin running back led all of college football with a whopping 2,587 rushing yards last season.
Gordon will be looking to compete for the starting gig against Branden Oliver, who led the Chargers with 582 yards and three touchdowns last season. As a rookie, Oliver stepped up as the starting running back while Mathews was out injured.
Rivers also gets to test his chemistry with a pair of offseason acquisitions in receivers Jacoby Jones and Stevie Johnson especially with his favorite target Antonio Gates (12 touchdowns last season) out for the first four games of the season due to a suspension.
The Charges have lost five of their last eight preseason games.
