The Dallas Cowboys will wrap up the preseason against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium, and the timing makes the matchup more important than a typical exhibition game. By Sunday evening, the Cowboys must decide on their 53-man roster, which gives this finale added weight for players on the fringe.
That means the final preseason look is less about the score and more about who can make a convincing final case for a spot. The Cowboys have several depth battles still unsettled at outside linebacker, running back, defensive tackle, receiver and cornerback, so this game offers one last chance for those players to stand out before decisions are made.
Players to watch in the finale
Tommy Yarrish pointed to several players who could factor into those roster conversations against the Saints. Among the names to watch are Sam Williams, Marist Liufau, Phil Mafah, Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, Anthony Smith, Hunter Luepke, Camden Brown, Jonathan Mingo, Jay Toia, Otito Ogbonnia, Jonathan Bullard, LT Overton, Caelen Carson, Ameer Speed, Bland and Revel. Those are the kinds of players whose performances can shift how the Cowboys sort out the bottom of the roster.
Some of the most recent momentum belongs to a few of those players. Against the Cardinals, Phil Mafah scored a late-game touchdown, while Jay Toia had one of his best showings as a Cowboy. Those moments do not guarantee anything, but they do matter when the staff is trying to separate players who are close in the competition.
For Dallas, the final preseason game is exactly what it is supposed to be: a last test before the real decisions arrive. Once the Cowboys finish against the Saints, the focus turns immediately to the 53-man roster and which players did enough to survive the cutdown deadline.
