Cowboys Who Need Strong Preseason Finish to Make 53-Man Roster
Life at the bottom of an NFL roster is stressful. Every day there are around 87 players working hard in the star to be a Dallas Cowboy but only 53 will ultimately make the final roster.
Of course, there is the practice squad and there are always some teams who end up plucking players from other rosters, but the job security that everyone is looking for lies in being on that Week 1 official roster.
Through two weeks of the preseason some have played well enough to show they belong. For the others, opportunities are running out fast.
With a lot of roster cuts to make, the competition is going to be fierce for those last few spots. Here are a few Cowboys who will need to finish the preseason strong to make sure they prove they are worthy of one of those final spots.
RB Malik Davis
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The Cowboys backfield is one of the most interesting aspects of the team this year. We know that Dallas is going to be giving Tony Pollard a huge role, but how touches will be divvied out beyond their franchise-tagged back is a bit of a mystery.
Rico Dowdle is doing what he can to claim the No. 2 role. The back has made an impression with head coach Mike McCarthy thanks to his physical running style. That's the aspect of Ezekiel Elliott's game that the Cowboys will need to replace.
So if the Cowboys like Pollard and Dowdle, the question becomes who will take the third running back spot.
Deuce Vaughn should be considered the favorite. He's a good return man and brings something different to the offense. The 5'5" running back isn't going to be a traditional runner but he's electric with the ball in his hand and can be used as a gadget player.
That leaves Malik Davis as a potential cut candidate. The 5'10", 207-pound back has been fine in the preseason but hasn't really done anything eye-popping that would command a roster spot.
That needs to change in the third week of the preseason.
Edge Ben Banogu
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Ben Banogu never lived up this second-round draft stock with the Indianapolis Colts. Signing with the Dallas Cowboys after four years in Indy was supposed to be a second chance to make an impression with a good defensive staff.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Dan Quinn is going to be able to help him get his career headed in the right direction.
Banogu had just 2.5 sacks, all during his rookie season, in his four years with the Colts despite playing in 50 games.
Making the Cowboys roster was always going to be an uphill climb. The Cowboys are deep on the edge and could even trade one away and remain one of the best pass-rushing teams in the league.
With Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams and Dante Fowler near-locks to make the final cut, there's probably only one more spot for a defensive end.
That position likely belongs to rookie Isaiah Land unless Banogu can do something in the final preseason game to make the team.
DT Quinton Bohanna
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Quinton Bohanna started nine games last season but he's still going to need to fight for a roster spot. The Cowboys made it clear they want to get better at the position by drafting Mazi Smith in the first round of the draft.
Smith is likely to play a major role early, even as a rookie. He is a gifted athlete who stands out in a sport filled with athletic outliers.
He'll likely rotate with veteran defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins with Osa Odighizuwa as the starting 3-technique. He's the best disruptor they have on the interior.
After those three it's likely Neville Gallimore and Chauncey Golston. The former can play nose but also has some juice as a penetrating 3-tech. Golston can play on the edge as a run defender and kick inside on passing downs.
That leaves a battle between Viliami Fehoko and Bohanna for one of the final defensive line spots. Bohanna will need to show what he can do in the final preseason game to show that he can still be part of the interior rotation.
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