Football is a game of attrition. No team ends the season with the exact same players it started the season with, as injuries take their inevitable toll on the roster. Successfully managing that aspect of NFL reality can be the difference between a top 10 draft pick and a deep playoff run.
Last year, the Cowboys stormed out to a 6-1 start despite starting the season with WR Michael Gallup, DT Neville Gallimore, and CB Kelvin Joseph out on IR, and RT La’el Collins sitting out a five-game suspension. But injuries would take their toll down the stretch.