For some Cowboys, preseason football is about getting live reps. For others, it’s about proving that one good showing wasn’t a mirage.
Dallas heads into Saturday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals after another week of work against a different opponent in joint practice, giving Brian Schottenheimer’s group a wider look at its roster and a clearer sense of where the pressure points are. A few players have helped themselves. A few others have made things tougher than they need to be.
Here are five Cowboys who have the most riding on this one.
Caelen Carson’s stat line from last week looked solid enough: four tackles, a pass defended and no receptions allowed. But the tape told a messier story. He was flagged three times in the first half alone, including a questionable pass interference call, defensive holding and a facemask.
That’s a problem in a secondary that suddenly has more bodies in the mix. Devin Moore is back from injury, and he already took some reps away from Carson this week.
If Carson wants to stay in the thick of the battle, he needs a cleaner night against the Cardinals. Another rough outing could put him in a tough spot.
Drew Shelton also needs a reset. His preseason opener at right tackle was rough, with a pre-snap penalty, two quarterback hits allowed and another pressure. Even as a run blocker, he was just okay, and that didn’t leave much of an impression.
Dallas responded by sliding him back to the left side in practice this week, which is where he played his final two college seasons. The Cowboys are still searching for help at swing tackle, and Shelton hasn’t given them much yet.
Nate Thomas is in a similar fight, only his path has shifted too. He entered camp battling Tyler Guyton for the starting job, but after an uneven performance against the Seattle Seahawks in preseason Week 1, he’s been moved to the right side for a trial run.
This is the kind of game that can settle a role. A strong outing would help Thomas grab the swing tackle job and put him first in line if Guyton or Terence Steele goes down. Another shaky performance would only ramp up the concern about Dallas’ tackle depth.
James Houston was coming off a solid showing against the Seahawks and, before this week, looked like a safe bet for the 53-man roster. Then Von Miller signed, and suddenly the edge-rusher math changed.
Now Houston is fighting to hold the fifth spot in the Cowboys’ outside linebacker room, with Sam Williams waiting in the wings. Thursday’s practice made things even more complicated when Houston left the field with an injury, which could limit his snaps or keep him out altogether.
Camden Brown is in a different kind of pressure spot. He was one of the bright spots in Seattle, catching three passes for 62 yards and scoring twice with a pair of eye-catching grabs. One came with a climb up the ladder, the other with one hand.
That kind of performance turns heads fast, but it also raises the bar. Brown now has to show that last week wasn’t a one-off.
If he backs it up, he could push into the WR4 conversation. If he doesn’t, the shine from Seattle fades quickly.
In Other News...
Cowboys Preseason Clash Took A Scary Turn After One Violent Hit
A preseason game can turn fast, and for the Cardinals it did when safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson went down after a collision with tight end Zack Kuntz against the Cowboys. The hit drew an unnecessary roughness flag, and Taylor-Demerson had to leave early with a rib injury, turning an otherwise routine August evaluation into a much more sobering scene.
For Dallas, the play was a reminder of how quickly exhibition reps can shift from competition to concern. Arizona is still waiting on further medical updates, and until those come in, the focus will remain on Taylor-Demersons recovery rather than the snap count or the final score. [Read more 🡒]
CeeDee Lamb Returns To Dallas With One Troubling Off-Field Issue
CeeDee Lamb is heading back to Dallas at a time when football should be the only thing on his mind, but the trip comes with a personal headache that has lingered for weeks. While the Cowboys were in training camp in Oxnard, Lambs home in Fairview was burglarized on July 30, and more than $300,000 worth of belongings were taken, including four luxury bags.
Nearly a month later, no suspects have been identified, and the return to Dallas will give Lamb his first chance to get back inside the home since the break-in. For a player whose role on the field remains central to the Cowboys season, it is another reminder that some of the hardest issues do not show up on the practice field. [Read more 🡒]
Von Millers Cowboys Debut Is Already Raising One Big Question
Von Miller is already giving the Cowboys a glimpse of what they hoped to get when they brought in the Super Bowl MVP and eight-time Pro Bowler, even if the early returns are coming in a carefully managed dose. He has worked through limited practice reps in training camp, and defensive coordinator Christian Parker has been quick to point to Millers professionalism and the presence he brings to the defense.
The bigger question now is less about whether Miller fits and more about how the Cowboys will handle him in the short term. Dallas does not plan to play him in the upcoming preseason game, choosing instead to keep the focus on getting him ready for the regular season, which leaves the timing of his full debut as the next thing to watch. [Read more 🡒]