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There’s been a lot of talk this offseason about how much talent the Dallas Cowboys have on their roster. Actually, we hear that talk every offseason, but for the first time in several years, it’ll actually prove to be accurate. There’s a good mix of veterans and youth on both sides of the ball, with talent sprinkled all over the field. Now, all that talent doesn’t necessarily translate directly to wins as we’ve seen with Cowboys teams in the past, but it could lead to numerous Pro Bowl bids.
In my mind, Dallas could send as many as nine players to the Pro Bowl this season. And as impressive as that sounds, it wouldn’t even come close to touching the 13 Dallas sent to Hawaii in 2008.
The obvious candidates for the Cowboys reside on offense. Guys like Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith and Zack Martin shouldn’t have a hard time making a Pro Bowl this season, but there are a few other offensive players who could make it as well.
Travis Frederick could make his second-straight appearance, which wouldn’t be much of a shock. La’el Collins, if he earns a starting spot, could make it as a rookie as Martin did. But the biggest sleeper to make the Pro Bowl on offense is Joseph Randle. If Randle wins the No. 1 running back job as I expect him to, he could shine for the Cowboys. He showed plenty of promise in a small sample size last season, and with the offensive line he’ll be running behind, he should eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground with regular carries. C.J. Anderson made the Pro Bowl in just seven starts last season, so there’s no reason why Randle can’t do the same in a full season.
On defense, the list of candidates is less obvious. The first name that comes to mind is Sean Lee, but he’ll have to stay healthy in order to do so. As a weak side linebacker now, Lee should take less of a beating playing off the ball more. After Lee, Orlando Scandrick, Demarcus Lawrence and Tyrone Crawford could find their way onto the Pro Bowl roster with strong 2015 campaigns. Scandrick is one of the more underrated corners in the league, Lawrence is poised for a breakout season and Crawford wreaks havoc up front. Immense talent across the defensive line will give pass rushers more one-on-0ne matchups.
The last player I expect to make the Pro Bowl is Dan “Split ’em” Bailey. Bailey is one of the most accurate kickers in the league — second-most accurate of all time — and should continue to put up points for a high-powered Dallas offense.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dallas send five-plus players to the Pro Bowl this season, with that number potentially climbing all the way to nine or 10.
