As the preseason concludes against the Las Vegas Raiders, the front office and coaches will continue evaluating those players battling for a roster spot.
Fringe roster players are still attempting to put their abilities on tape, hoping the Dallas Cowboys or some other NFL team will request their services.
The guys in this ball game understand the importance of playing each play like it’s their last.
So, for fans, this game is the only thing that stands between us and the regular season.
It does provide a platform for guys needing that final opportunity to showcase what they have.
Sam Williams’ losS may become Isaiah Land’s gain, unfortunately
The news that rang around the Dallas Fort Worth area as well as the league revolves around the Sam Williams situation.
We’ll refrain from doing any deep dive there.
However, we will talk about how it may push another undrafted free agent onto the active roster.
Isaiah Land has been having a solid preseason.
His ability to cause havoc and create pressure in the backfield is noticeable.
Isaiah Land is currently tied for 3rd among all EDGEs (2nd among rookie EDGEs) in total pressures thus far this preseason with 8.
He's also tied for 6th among all defenders in pass-rush win rate at 24% while his 32% pressure rate ranks 2nd (min. 20 pass-rush snaps) #Cowboys
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) August 21, 2023
For Williams, it will take some time to maneuver through what happened and what will occur.
Luckily for Land, he gets another crack at the big stage to push the envelope.
Dallas will have a decision to make if he continues to play as well as he has been. Stuffing him on the practice squad may be easier said than done.
In either case, the game against Las Vegas will be his chance to leave a lasting impression of his burst, bend, and ability.
The Raiders plan to trot out their backup tackles which is probably not the best idea for a guy whose specialty is getting to the quarterback.
I will stay tuned in to watching this game and Isaiah Land is a big reason why.
Eric Scott needs to create separation between himself and Kelvin Joseph
If coaches made roster decisions based on the first couple of practices, Eric Scott may have been a roster lock.
However, we all know that’s not the case.
Moreover, the 6th-round pick needs to transfer the positives from the practice sessions to the preseason games.
That has yet to happen as consistently for Scott as coaches would have liked.
Last year, on the initial 53-man roster, Dallas initially carried six corners. Unless Jourdan Lewis is traded at some point this year, four of those current spots are locked.
Realistically, Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, and Eric Scott are competing for two spots.
Having a solid final preseason game for Scott and erasing the memory of the ball going over his head landing in Jaxson Smith-Njigba’s mits could lead to huge dividends.
Dan Quinn is still a fan of the former Golden Eagle.
Corners with size and ability are hard to come by and Quinn isn’t quick to let those out of the door.
Day 3 vs Day 3
Eric Scott Jr. fights off a deflection intended for Jalen Brooks #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/fITrCwkCfe
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) August 5, 2023
Scott will remind everyone why his skillset (speed, length, and physicality) should be on the active roster, not the practice squad.
The Raiders will have their hands full with an ultra-talented player still trying to gain every inch in this final game.
MALIK DAVIS HEADLINES PLAYERS WITh the most to gain
After the Ezekiel Elliott release, Malik Davis approached offseason activities as the running back with a sizable chance of being the backup to Tony Pollard.
Fast forward to today, those chances dropped like Enron’s stock.
Deuce Vaughn is a factor in the running attack and it’s surprising to fans who watched him at Kansas State the last three years.
Rico Dowdle’s preseason play has also complicated Malik’s ascension to the primary backup role to a certain degree.
Dallas Cowboys rushing against the Seattle Seahawks:
– Rico Dowdle: 8 carries, 38 yards
– Malik Davis: 8 carries, 32 yards
– Deuce Vaughn: 5 carries, 14 yards, 1 touchdown
– Will Grier: 2 carries, 7 yards
– Hunter Luepke: 3 carries, 3 yards— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) August 20, 2023
On offense, Rico may have moved a smidge or so above Malik. However, both players’ play on special teams have been uneven at best.
Last week, the punt block by Seattle resulted from a missed block by Rico.
There was a reason he was closest to retrieving the ball and getting it out of the endzone.
The Dallas Cowboys may roll with two running backs and try to put Dowdle and Davis on the practice squad.
If Dallas keeps a third back, they’ll play special teams, and Davis needs to showcase that ability to close the gap between himself and Dowdle.
