Preseason and training camp take on a unique role in professional sports. The sense of desperation that fringe roster guys have adds an element of intrigue that hardcore fans eat up. Seeing players openly fighting for their job in such a public manner almost makes watching the last month before the season seem like you are watching a reality show. And in many ways, you are. You become enamored with some of these training camp stories, and when preseason rolls around, you hope these guys mark their territory on the 53-man roster.
Most teams have 40 or so guys fighting for roster spots, then another chunk in heated position battles. The Cowboys this year have many exciting competitions, and with the preseason about a week away, I think it’s a great time to highlight some players with a lot to prove.
The Cowboys WR group (not including Ceedee Lamb)
When the Cowboys opted to let Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson walk, I knew there would be a battle in deciding the last few roster spots at WR. With Gallup most likely being sidelined the first few weeks and now James Washington most likely doing the same, the team is now put in an unfavorable position. With the Cowboys’ reluctance to get a veteran through free agency, the young players in-house will be fighting for a significant role. Jalen Tolbert is guaranteed to make the team and start, but after him and Lamb, it’s all wide open. Guys like TJ Vasher, Dennis Houston, Noah Brown, and Simi Fehoko will all be fighting for roster spots and substantial roles as pass catchers early on.
Markquese Bell
UDFA Markquese Bell has been making waves with his impressive play at training camp. But even with his stellar play in practice, he’s still in a heated battle with second-year 6th-round pick Isreal Mukuamu. There is a world where the Cowboys decide to hold five safeties and keep both Bell and Mukuamu, but that’s only if both perform well. Bell’s performance will be the difference between him being on a roster or being out of the league altogether.
Isreal Mukuamu
As Bell’s competition, it’s obvious Mukuamu needs to have a good preseason to secure a spot on the team. But with Mukuamu, there’s an extra element he needs to prove that may not apply to Bell right now. Last year, many fans thought he was the future for the team at safety, especially in a Dan Quinn defense that loves bigger, hard-hitting safeties. Jayron Kearse’s emergence puts a damper on Mukuamu starting for this team, but this preseason will allow him to show that he should be on an NFL roster and be a consistent starter. I think Mukaumu makes the team unless he has a genuinely lackluster showing, but with his potential, he can be much more than a backup.
Rico Dowdle
Rico Dowdle will be in a heated battle at the running back position battling with guys like Ryan Nall and Malik Davis for a roster spot. Dowdle has been impressive in limited opportunities, but he has been battling an injury the past year. He missed all last year with a hip injury and most of the offseason work recovering from a knee scope. Dowdle needs to refresh the team’s memory and prove that he belongs on the roster.
Will Grier
Will Grier enters the preseason in a battle with Cooper Rush for the backup QB role. It’s a battle that I don’t see him winning unless he does something extraordinary. But the beauty of the preseason is that you aren’t only auditioning for your team. You’re auditioning for the whole NFL. Grier was the 3rd pick three years ago, and if he has a great preseason, he could be on the radar of teams that need a backup QB. It seems unlikely now that his career will pan out in the league, but Grier has talent, and some big preseason performances and injuries could lead him to a good spot.