Position-by-position breakdown of the most talented players the Cowboys will face in 2022

The Dallas Cowboys’ 2022 schedule is full of fun matchups as they’ll see many new players for the first time ever. They will also see plenty of familiar faces as some of the usual suspects roll into town.

Today. we are going to take look at some of their most formidable opposition players as we run through each position and determine the most talented player the Cowboys will face this upcoming season.

QUARTERBACK - Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

No disrespect to the ageless Tom Brady, but Aaron Rodgers can be a one-man wrecking crew at times. At 38 years old, he’s practically a pup compared to Brady. Rodgers is the reigning two-time NFL MVP and it’s been over a decade since he last threw double-digit interceptions. For the first time in nine years, he won’t have Davante Adams to target so it will be interesting to see how Rodgers responds, but Cowboys fans have had a front row seat to his destructiveness over the years.

RUNNING BACK - Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

The Cowboys will face a slew of good running backs this season, including Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook, but the emergence of Colts star Jonathan Taylor should be their biggest challenge. The 23-year-old is coming off an 1,811-yard, 18-TD season where he averaged 5.5 yards per carry. He’s got a lot of juice in those legs and has the ability to run for days if the Cowboys defense isn’t careful.

WIDE RECEIVER - Ja’Marr Chase. Cincinnati Bengals

LSU teammate Justin Jefferson might want to have a word, but it’s hard not to choose anyone other than Ja’Marr Chase for the top WR opponent. Chase had a remarkable rookie season where he had 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year is going to be a beast for many years to come.

TIGHT END - T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions

With Zach Ertz traded out of Philly, you could make a case for Dallas Goerdert here, but we’re rolling with Hockenson on this one. The former Iowa star TE broke on the scene his sophomore season with 723 yards and six touchdowns, good enough to make his first Pro Bowl. He was on pace to surpass those numbers last year when an injury prematurely ended his season. Look for him to come back strong and be a matchup problem for opponents this upcoming season.

TACKLE - Tristan Wirfs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This athletic freak wasted no time making his presence felt as he’s been a big reason Tom Brady stays upright. The 13th overall pick of 2020 has had two fantastic seasons, including earning first-team All-Pro honors last year. He’s an amazing player who will likely be one of the game's best tackles for years to come.

GUARD - Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts

Like his fellow Notre Dame alum Zack Martin, Nelson has been outstanding from the get-go, earning All-Pro honors in each of his first four seasons in the league. One of the game’s top interior blockers, Nelson is part of the reason their young running back is so dangerous.

EDGE - Chase Young, Washington Commanders

The 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year showed a lot of promise after a strong start, but wasn’t able to build upon a good year due to suffering a torn ACL. All reports are that he’ll be ready to go and don’t be surprised if this former no. 2 overall pick re-establishes himself as one of the league’s premier edge rushers.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE - Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

What can we say about the great Aaron Donald that already hasn’t been said? He’s been an All-Pro (seven times), a Defensive Player of the Year (four times), and now he can add Super Bowl champion to his résumé. Donald has achieved double-digit sacks in each of the last five seasons and by the time his career is over, he will go down as one of the best defensive tackles to play the game.

LINEBACKER - Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts

The 2018 second-round pick exploded on the scene with 163 tackles his rookie season. Leonard earned All-Pro honors right away and hasn’t led up taking down four All-Pros in all four seasons. He quickly established himself as one of the best ball-pursuing linebackers in the game and should be all over the field again in 2022.

CORNERBACK - Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles Rams

The outspoken cornerback will be forever linked to the Cowboys after the team passed on him in the 2016 NFL Draft to select Ezekiel Elliott. While Ramsey didn’t enjoy his stay with his former team the Jacksonville Jaguars, he’s been nothing short of fantastic since joining the Rams. With five Pro Bowls in seven years, he’s established himself as one of the top shut-down corners in the league.

SAFETY - Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans

The Titan's safety has quietly been one of the most consistent performers since entering the league in 2016. He’s started all 81 games over the last five seasons and has accumulated 80+ tackles in each of them. He also has at least four interceptions in all but one of those seasons during that same span. Byard is a two-time All-Pro that continually shows up and makes plays.