Today marks the final game of the 2024 Dallas Cowboys season, and what a season it’s been. When the losses started to pile up, the focus on this team became negative, but the Cowboys players who overperformed deserve their flowers.

There is always something positive to take away from a full year of work, and that’s true for this team as well. Dallas saw breakout seasons and improvement from key players.

Let’s not forget how poor the outlook was at one point; the Cowboys were 3-7 before winning four of their last six and pulling off the biggest upset of the 2024 season.

The largest upsets this season so far:

✅ Cowboys (+10.5) at Commanders (Week 12)
✅ Broncos (+8.5) at Jets (Week 4)
✅ Raiders (+8.5) at Ravens (Week 2) pic.twitter.com/BzPhGU3ZQQ

— ESPN BET (@ESPNBET) November 24, 2024

That doesn’t happen out of pure luck. The Cowboys players led a strong revival towards the end of the season despite a slew of injuries, speculation, and overall negativity in their way.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three guys who exceeded expectations this year and contributed to tough wins.

Rico Dowdle: Running Away With RB1 Job

If there is one obvious name that belongs on this list, it is Rico Dowdle.

The Asheville, NC native certainly made his hometown proud in an otherwise tough year, as he reached career highs in attempts, rushing yards, touchdowns, receptions, and yards per attempt.

Name any other stat, and it’s likely he broke his record there too. It was a year to remember for Dowdle.

Luckily for him, his career year came in the final year of his current contract, meaning he earned himself a payday with his 2024 campaign. He could even become the highest-paid undrafted running back in the NFL.

Putting his future free agency to the side, his season deserves a ton of respect, as he emerged from a crowded running back room as the clear-cut starter.

After five years in the Cowboys organization, Rico Dowdle’s work paid off. His 2024 season was better than anyone could have predicted.

Carl Lawson: Successful Return To The NFL

When the Cowboys signed veteran Carl Lawson in late August, nobody batted an eye. The former Cincinnati Bengal and New York Jet had not recorded a sack since 2022, and his health was a major concern for teams.

Fast-forward to today and Lawson has had one of his most productive seasons.

With DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Marshawn Kneeland, and Micah Parsons all missing time in 2024, he was asked to step up, and he did.

Lawson will enter Week 18 with five sacks under his belt and 15 quarterback hits in just 14 games played. Only three of those games were starts, which makes his stats even more impressive.

Carl Lawson has 18 pressures this season.

That would be tied for 2nd on the Bengals.

The Cowboys signed him in the preseason for a vet minimum deal. https://t.co/3neHE65RFf

— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) November 29, 2024

Only Parsons has more sacks than Lawson this year, as he’s tied with DeMarvion Overshown for the second most on the team.

2024 may not have been a good year for Dallas, but it gave a career revival to one of the most veteran Cowboys players. Carl Lawson has earned his way back into the league, and he will see that work rewarded with a contract this offseason.

KaVontae Turpin: From Returner To Offensive Weapon

Cowboys fans have been waiting for the KaVontae Turpin breakout year, and that came in 2024.

After his 2022 Pro Bowl rookie season as a return man, many questioned why he was not more involved in the offseason in 2023. He had the speed and explosiveness to contribute, but not the snaps.

This year, Mike McCarthy decided it was time to give him a real chance on the offensive side, and Turpin took advantage, leading to his second Pro Bowl selection.

Turpin, 28, more than doubled his receptions and yards total from his sophomore season, and he currently ranks in the top five on the team in both stats. That is the kind of improvement we’ve been waiting for.

Aside from his offensive gains, Turpin also saw the first punt and kickoff return touchdown of his career this season, as well as career highs in average return yards.

His 33.6 yards per punt return, in particular, leads the league heading into Week 18.

Whether KaVontae Turpin continues to see his offensive involvement grow is a question for the future; for now, let’s appreciate the breakout year this former USFL Most Valuable Player had.