5 QUESTIONS FOR THE COWBOYS AHEAD OF THE PRESEASON FINALE AGAINST THE CHARGERS

The preseason hits its finale this week. With the Dallas Cowboys set to take on the Los Angeles Chargers in preseason game No. 3, they will soon be forced to lock in and make some tough roster decisions ahead of Week 1.

In the meantime, they will be using every chance they get to evaluate their roster, and Saturday’s matchup with the Chargers is their last opportunity. They’re entering the evening with some questions, and we discuss five of the more pressing ones ahead of it.

Five burning questions facing the Cowboys vs. Chargers

How does Trey Lance fair in his finale?

This preseason, a lot of the focus for the team and fans alike has been centered around Trey Lance and what his development has looked like. With the third and final preseason game upon us, Lance gets one final shot to potentially change his future.

It’s clear that he will be on the roster in 2024, but beyond that, there isn’t much for assurances. He hasn’t been able to outright beat out Cooper Rush for QB2 this training camp, and that’s troubling to a degree. But can another solid performance against the Chargers change the minds of some of those who are down on Lance?

Does Deuce Vaughn do enough to earn a roster spot?

Last year's preseason darling, Deuce Vaughn, has had a much harder go of it this time around. Battling injuries that have limited his chances in practice and in preseason games, Saturday’s final preseason game feels like a big deal for Vaughn if he is going to make this roster.

This running back room is nothing to brag about, but in a simple numbers game, does Vaughn have enough votes to stick around? Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle are locked. Beyond that, Hunter Luepke looks to be as well with his position flex, and there seems to be a growing buzz centered around Royce Freeman.

Does Vaughn take one of those back-end jobs, or do the Cowboys keep a fifth back? It remains to be seen.

Can Jalen Moreno-Cropper come through this time around?

Last preseason Jalen Moreno-Cropper was one of the toughest roster cut decisions the team had to make. Fast forward to the current day, and he might find himself in a similar situation. Can he do enough on Saturday to keep himself around?

With the wide receiver group being solidified at the top and a lot of intriguing younger pieces in the depth, Cropper may need to be extraordinary on Saturday to stick around beyond just the practice squad.

Who will snatch up the final linebacker spot?

The top four linebacker spots are spoken for, with Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown, and Marist Liafau firmly in. But do the Cowboys opt for a fifth guy, and if so, who is it? There seems to be buzz centered around former Texas A&M Aggie Buddy Johnson, while All-UFL selection Willie Harvey Jr. has had good moments too. You also can’t forget about veteran and second-time-around Cowboy Damien Wilson, either.

These guys will be playing a lot of special teams, so maybe that's where the main focus should be. However, injuries happen, and they will be called upon to take defensive snaps this season as well. A good final performance from one of these guys may lock them into a roster spot for 2024.

Go long at cornerback or safety?

A classic version of a good problem to have faces Dallas. With several options to keep around in the secondary, some quality candidates may be on the outside looking in. With Dallas trading for Andrew Booth Jr. a couple of weeks ago, one may think he has a real shot to make the roster.

However, if they go five-deep at cornerback, does that mean a player like Israel Mukuamu is on the outside looking in? He’s valuable with his versatility, but the point remains that the Cowboys may find themselves making some really tough decisions in the secondary, with the final preseason game being their final chance to assess.

2024-08-24T17:06:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd