The Dallas Cowboys take the field for the first time as they visit the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 of the preseason. While these games don’t count in the standings, they can be vital for players trying to make the 53-man roster.
This offseason, the Cowboys were heavily criticized for their lack of moves in free agency. Instead of bringing in outside help, they decided to lean on their draft picks and homegrown talent.
That means several young players will be fighting to prove they have what it takes.
MORE: Looking back at Dak Prescott’s phenomenal preseason debut in 2016
Let’s look at six of those players who need to put up a strong performacnce against the Rams to help their chances.
An undrafted free agent in 2019, Tyron Billy-Johnson has yet to make it to the regular season but has already had a shot with nine teams. He joined the Cowboys in 2023 and spent the entire year on the practice squad. Back for his second season with the team, he’s made his mark in training camp.
Billy-Johnson was one of the hottest names during practices, constantly making one play after another. He still feels like a long shot due to the depth at wide receiver but a strong showing in L.A. could help make his case.
A product of Iowa State, Willie Harvey, Jr. started his career in 2019 with the Cleveland Browns. The undrafted free agent spent three seasons in Cleveland and had just two tackles in four appearances. He ended up getting the Cowboys’ attention following a stint with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the UFL.
Signed this offseason, he has a chance to make their roster but has to prove he’s a better option than players such as Damien Wilson, Darius Harris, and undrafted free agent Jason Johnson. The preseason will allow him to do just that.
When the Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott last season, it left them without a short-yardage back. They hoped rookie fullback Hunter Luepke could fill that role after proving to be a versatile weapon for the North Dakota State Bison.
In his first season, Luepke had just 19 yards on six attempts with a touchdown. So far in camp, he’s looked vastly improved in his second year. The Cowboys still need to figure out their running back committee and a strong showing from Luepke could help him force his way into the conversation.
When Sam Williams was lost for the season, the Cowboys signed free agent Al-Quadin Muhammad. Formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, Muhammad spent one year in Chicago before returning to Indy in 2023 where he remained on their practice squad all year.
In six years, he has 157 tackles and six sacks with his best campaign coming in 2021 when he had 48 tackles and 6.0 sacks for the Colts. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder has a great opportunity to earn a spot as a rotational pass rusher and could push himself up the depth chart with a quick start against the Rams.
One of the best stories of the entire 2023 NFL Draft (league-wide, not just in Dallas), Deuce Vaughn had a shot at making an impact as a rookie. Even with the Cowboys lacking depth at running back, he couldn’t find a way to the field consistently and had just 80 yards from scrimmage.
This year, he’s been doing all he can to fight his way onto the roster. That includes working as a slot receiver, which typically isn’t a good sign for a back. Vaughn needs to prove he can get it done at the NFL level and the preseason will be his chance to do that.
There might be more pressure on Trey Lance this preseason than any other player on the roster. He has yet to make an appearance for the Cowboys — either in the preseason or regular season.
Added in a trade last year, Lance is widely seen as a bust after the San Francisco 49ers used the third overall pick to bring him in during the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s still just 24 years old, so there’s time for him to get things figured out. Whether they admit it or not, Lance’s performance will be huge for the front office as they decide what to do in the near future with their current quarterback situation.
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