Cowboys player who had underwhelming rookie season might just be staring at position switch in 2024

The Dallas Cowboys will kick off OTAs on Tuesday, May 21, ahead of their 2024 NFL season.

Although no live contact is allowed per official rules, this is usually the time of year where we get a lot of answers from players' and coaches' interviews as well as things as simple as glimpses of who is working with which position groups, etc. 

One of the biggest storylines entering this year's OTAs is where exactly will second-year defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko will be lining up? 

The reason why we'll be monitoring that can be divided into a few key points: 

#1: Fehoko was a healthy scratch for every game he was on the roster last year and even had a short IR sting that was considered roster maneuvering more than anything else. Although the Cowboys had a very deep defensive end room, Fehoko not getting a role at all after being perceived as a high-floor rookie was noteworthy. 

#2: Fehoko was listed as a DE last year but on the Cowboys' current roster recently posted by team writer Patrik Walker, the NFL sophomore is listed as a "DL" while his teammates are all assigned as either DE or DT. In other words, only he carries the ambiguous "DL" designation. 

#3: The Cowboys have virtually no depth at DT behind Osa Odighizuwa and Mazi Smith. If Fehoko moves inside, he'd be a three-technique. Do the Cowboys believe he's got a better shot at contributing there while fixing a major need for a solid rotation in the trenches? 

At San Jose State, he played DE in a 3-4 scheme, which could mean he'd translate easily into the position in the NFL. The Cowboys haven't shied away from position switches in recent years and Mike Zimmer is also known to get creative when it comes to his defenses.

Last year, the Cowboys turned the versatile Chauncey Golston into a full-time DT and a similar fate could be in store for Fehoko. 

For him, it would mean an easier path to the playing field. After all, to play on the edge he'd be competing against DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons, Sam Williams, and second-round draft pick Marshawn Kneeland. 

OTAs will provide an early answer on how the Cowboys will be approaching the situation in 2024. The 2023 draft class has been under the microscope after a disappointing Year 1 and if Fehoko can earn a consistent role, it'll go a long way.