HBO 'Hard Knocks' 2021: Best Cowboys Storylines, Moments, Reaction for Episode 5

Now it's time to start the season.

If the crisp fall air isn't enough of a clue that the NFL campaign is right around the corner, the season finale of HBO's annual Hard Knocks show is.

This year's edition chronicled training camp for the Dallas Cowboys, and, as is so often the case, focused on the looming roster decisions and cuts in the final episode. That was especially the case since bubble players such as JaQuan Hardy, Isaac Alarcon, Azur Kamara and Ben DiNucci were all featured at different times throughout the season.

But the tension of cuts took a backseat to the preparation for Thursday's showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the early portion of Tuesday's episode.

While Dallas was 0-4 in the preseason, a season-opening matchup with the reigning champions and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady is a chance to make quite the statement to the rest of the league.

Rookie Micah Parsons can make a statement himself with an impressive performance in the first game of his career, and nine-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Ware played the role of mentor while giving the youngster advice on how to deal with the GOAT:

Parsons doesn't have to worry about whether he will make the roster as a first-round pick, but those who did had their moment in the spotlight Tuesday.

Whether it was Alarcon talking about what it would mean to represent his home country of Mexico while playing in an NFL game, Hardy learning from Ezekiel Elliott on the practice field or head coach Mike McCarthy explaining to general manager Jerry Jones where DiNucci is lacking, the theme of bubble players overshadowed the episode.

They weren't the only callbacks, though, as Aaiden Diggs, who is the son of cornerback Trevon Diggs, returned to steal the show again.

Aaiden was the star of a previous episode with his dancing, cheering and confusion about whether Patrick Mahomes or Dak Prescott was his favorite quarterback. He finally got to meet the Cowboys signal-caller, but there was still some confusion in one of the most entertaining moments of the entire season:

He even got to run routes for Prescott and looked like a wide receiver in the making.

The tone of comic relief quickly shifted when it was revealed that DiNucci, Hardy and Alarcon were among those who were waived. They could at least take solace knowing that the Cowboys wanted them on the practice squad.

While their disappointment was difficult to hide, Kamara's joy was as well when McCarthy called the pass-rusher to tell him he made the team. Kamara got to celebrate with his mother on a FaceTime call in an emotional exchange that captured how much it meant for the Ivory Coast native.

Now it will be up to him and the rest of the Cowboys who made the roster to chase the franchise's sixth Super Bowl title.