The Dallas Cowboys will play their fourth and final preseason game against the Houston Texans tonight at AT&T Stadium. I’m almost positive that there will be a lot of interstate trash talk between both Cowboys and Texans fans, but that’s about all the excitement we can expect out of this game.
I think we can all pretty much agree that this game is sometimes hard to watch because it’s mostly played with the players that are fighting to earn the final few available roster spots on their respective teams.
The Dallas Cowboys may have some tough decision to make and this ultimately may determine the fate of who is in and who is out when it comes to figuring out the final 53 man roster.
I decided to share with all of you three players on offense and three players on defense who I will be keeping a close eye on tonight against Houston Texans. I think that the performance of all of these players could have a big impact on the outcome of the 53 man roster.
I thought it was important to remind everyone that these players competing tonight are not only competing for spots with their teams, but the other 31 teams that make up the NFL as well. So, try to keep that in mind when watching the game.
Without further do, here are the players I will be keeping a close watchful eye on tonight.
Offense
Jameill Showers, #7
I’m really looking forward to seeing Jameill Showers get a chance to really showcase his skill set against the Houston Texans in the last preseason game.
I’ve been a fan of his since last season and thought that he would make a good backup quarterback down the road in the future.
In fact, I actually had high hopes that he would be the one accomplishing what Dak Prescott has been in these preseason games. That hasn’t been the case, but Showers has had his moments too despite playing mostly with the backup/reserve players.
Tonight, I will be watching Showers to see if the Dallas Cowboys could possibly feel comfortable enough with him backing up Prescott until Tony Romo is able to return. If he performs well enough that would allow the Cowboys organization to avoid adding a veteran QB and stick with what they have on the roster.
Austin Traylor, #86
I noticed last week against the Seattle Seahawks that when the Cowboys offense went to the two tight end set it was Austin Traylor that was on the field with the first-team unit. I think this could possibly mean the end of Gavin Escobar’s tenure in Dallas.
Is Escobar a tradable commodity?
Traylor is probably the second best blocking tight end on the Cowboys roster, behind only Jason Witten, and it’s that reason alone I see him making the final 53 man roster.
I’m going to be paying close attention to see if the Cowboys try to get him involved in the passing game a little more, but ultimately he makes this team for his blocking capabilities.
Darius Jackson, #34
If rumors are true the Dallas Cowboys received trade interest for Darren McFadden and ultimately decided to turn them down. It really got me thinking if that means that Darius Jackson’s chances of making the 53 man roster are slim to none.
I personally think that the Cowboys will carry four running backs on the roster and it will come down to either McFadden or Jackson for that final spot.
McFadden has the trust of the coaching staff, but Jackson’s potential to be a really good running back in the NFL has me leaning more towards keeping him over McFadden. I think if he can have a good showing against the Texans, he is going to make it really difficult for the coaching staff to release him.
Defense
Kavon Frazier, #35
Kavon Frazier hasn’t showed up as much as I would’ve liked in the first three preseason games, but he should see extended playing time against the Houston Texans.
As things stand right now, I have the Dallas Cowboys keeping only four safeties on the roster and Frazier to me has done enough to make the team, thus making JJ Wilcox expendable.
This is mostly based on Frazier’s future potential and the fact that Wilcox has continued to struggle in the passing game. I still however want to see #35 make more plays on the ball and that’s why I will be watching him closely against the Texans.
Damien Wilson, #57
The Dallas Cowboys linebacker situation has been a little bit concerning to me ever since we learned of the news that Rolando McClain would be suspended for the first 10 games of the 2016 season, causing the depth of the position to become a concern.
With the exception of Sean Lee, the rest of the LB’s on the roster are virtually young and unproven.
Mark Nzeocha was showing promise until he strained his Achilles and Damien Wilson has the physical skill set to be a valued backup player at the position. Since Nzeocha still isn’t expected to play against the Texans, I will be keeping a close eye on how Wilson performs.
Wilson needs to improve his consistency. He has a tendency to over run plays because he’s in a hurry to make a tackle and that’s one of the things I’ll be watching to see if he improves that part of his game against the Texans.
Ryan Russell, #99
The Dallas Cowboys pass rush is without a doubt the weak link on the defense and someone has to step up.
Ryan Russell has shown improvement in his second year in the NFL, but for some reason or another hasn’t been able to finish plays when he has had the chance.
Russell has been able to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and sometimes a little bit of pressure is all it takes to rattle a QB, but I honestly want to see more.
I will be watching to see if Russell will be able to finish the play and get the QB sack. It’s an area that the Cowboys defense needs to improve so that they can get off the field when it matters most.
What Cowboys players will you be watching against the Texans?
Please feel free to take advantage of the comment section below to share your thoughts and opinions on this topic or to share with us what players you will be watching.
