Football is officially back for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 preseason, and now the focus shifts from the opener against the Seattle Seahawks to a very different kind of test: Cowboys Vs Cardinals in preseason Week 2. This is not the kind of game that decides anything in the standings, but it does tell you plenty about who is healthy, who is ready, and who still has something to prove.
The headline subplot is Jaishawn Barham. The rookie third-round pick linebacker is expected to make his preseason debut after missing the opener with a minor groin injury, and that alone gives this matchup a sharper edge than your average August outing. For a player trying to carve out a role early, every snap matters. For the Cowboys, every healthy body they can get on the field matters just as much.
When and where the game is being played
The Cowboys are scheduled to play the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, August 22 at 9 p.m. CT at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. That is the central date on the calendar now, and it gives fans a clear checkpoint after Dallas opened its preseason against Seattle. The setting is straightforward, the stakes are modest, but the evaluation opportunities are real.
That is what preseason is for, after all. Not the noise. Not the overreaction. Just the chance to see whether a player like Barham can turn promise into something more tangible after a week spent recovering and then practicing fully, including against the Saints. That is a useful sign. It does not guarantee anything, but it does move him back into the conversation.
Who to watch and how to follow it
Barham is the obvious name here, especially after missing the opener. Fans will also keep an eye on the broader Cowboys roster as the team continues its preseason work, with the Cardinals game offering another look at players fighting for attention before September arrives.
As for broadcast details, the game can be followed on the Dallas Cowboys App. On radio, KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan and KVMK-FM 107.5 La Grande will carry the action in Dallas/Fort Worth. For viewers and listeners in Spanish, Televisa Univision and Telemundo 39 are among the listed options, with Victor Villalba and Luis Perez part of the Spanish-language coverage. Jerry Recco and Steve Beuerlein are also part of the broadcast picture.
The Cowboys are also pointing fans toward tickets for the next home game at AT&T Stadium, but the immediate priority is simpler than that: get through preseason Week 2, get Barham back on the field, and see whether the Cowboys can make a tidy August game feel a little more meaningful than the calendar usually allows.
