Dallas Cowboys: 5 Things to Watch for in the Cowboys' Preseason Finale

The Dallas Cowboys will wrap up the 2012 training camp and preseason with a contest against the Miami Dolphins. The Cowboys, like most teams, will be looking to tie up loose ends, settle the competition battles and gain closure toward finalizing the 53-man roster.

In order to accomplish all the things on their to-do list, the Cowboys brass will be looking for key events, key elements and key plays that will shape the game and help them gain finality to a lot of decisions. You won't see participants such as Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, Brandon Carr and Sean Lee play in the game, but you might see someone steal a roster spot that could have a significant impact on the season.

It could be an offensive player such as Lance Dunbar, a defensive player like Adrian Hamilton or a special-teams player like Mana Silva. But whether it be about defying the odds or doing everything not to lose a job, the players have a lot to play for.

Let's take a look at exactly what we should be watching for.   

The Third Quarterback

The biggest offseason battle was the No. 3 receiver spot, right? Well, the third quarterback position has now come into focus, and it's time to figure out three things. Will the Cowboys go with former fourth-round pick Stephen McGee, journeyman Rudy Carpenter or neither.

McGee struggled in the first two preseason contests but did show some improvement against the Rams. Carpenter hasn't reminded people of Bernie Kosar, Rodney Peete or Steve Buerlein, but he's played better than McGee.

With the backup spot solidified, do the Cowboys even need to carry a third quarterback? Are they ready to give up on McGee? The Cowboys could even gamble by cutting them both and possibly sneak Carpenter onto the practice squad. But when you look at McGee and his lack of growth, it's very disappointing. Why else would they commit $10 million to Kyle Orton? 

Depending on what the needs are at other positions due to the injury factor, the final preseason game will unlock these answers and definitely worth watching.

Closure on the Wide Receiver Position

In the past two preseason games, the Cowboys received solid performances from Dwayne Harris, Kevin Ogletree and Cole Beasley. It appears that the Cowboys could add those three players to the mix with Miles Austin and Dez Bryant, but could there be room for one more? If so, then watch for the performances of Danny Coale, Andre Holmes and Tim Benford.

The Cowboys might be better served going with six receivers until there's only a need for five and the position levels off. My eyes will be on Coale just a little more, partially due to his draft status. But since he's only practiced on a minimal basis and only played in one preseason game, he remains somewhat intriguing.

At this point, it's hard to imagine the Cowboys adding a veteran, so it looks like a very young receiving corps on the horizon in Dallas. The question of who is the clear-cut No. 3 receiver will probably be answered in this game for now, but doesn't necessarily mean it won't change during the season. Having versatility and interchangeable parts might not be a bad thing for this offense. 

The Interior Offensive Line

It seems like the Cowboys tried to address the offensive line during the offseason, but when you look at the current state of affairs, it kind of leaves you with a skittish feeling.

Is David Arkin the answer at center? Is Phil Costa healthy, ready and improved? Will Ronald Leary correct his mistakes and earn a roster spot? Are Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau ready to earn their money?

You see where I'm going with this? A lot of questions remain, a lot of uncertainty is lingering and opposing pass-rushers are licking their chops. Maybe a bigger question should center around the play of Doug Free. My guess is that Bill Callahan is working overtime to make sure Tony Romo isn't on his backside come September 5, but the success of this team will greatly hinge on the play of the offensive line.

Are they up for the challenges that lie ahead? They better be. Let's watch how they close out the preseason.

Defensive Line Decisions

The defensive line might be one of the bigger improvements for the Dallas Cowboys in 2012. Part of that reason is because of players like Sean Lissemore, Tyron Crawford and an improved Josh Brent. But is it time to say goodbye to veterans such as Marcus Spears and Kenyon Coleman?

As defensive ends, both Coleman and Spears may not always do things that appear in the box score, and they are dependable veterans. But is that enough anymore? Coleman has not registered a tackle in three preseason games and to me, that's a problem. Spears appears to be a bit more active during the preseason and maybe he knows his job is on the line.

Paging Ben Bass!

Another player to watch for is Clifton Geathers. He's been quiet and now would be as good a time as ever to make some plays, push the pocket and harass the quarterback. He still has an intriguing combination of size, quickness and potential that is hard to let go of, but the results need to be tangible at this point.

It will be interesting to watch the play of the defensive line in this final tune up game. Finding the right combination of players at this position will be very instrumental for this defense.

The Matt Johnson Safety Dilemma

Matt Johnson will not be participating in this game after injuring his hamstring against the Rams, but do the Cowboys have enough at safety to run the risk of trying to sneak him through waivers?

It's a dilemma that the Cowboys will have to solve quickly. Two other options would be to award him an outright roster spot or place him on the PUP list, depending on the severity of the injury.

This could open the door for Mana Silva to solidify a roster spot and put Johnson's in jeopardy. For Johnson, it's been setback after setback and it's rather disappointing for a fourth-round pick that the Cowboys had highly regarded. Because of his recent setback, the Cowboys now have to weigh the reality of keeping five safeties.

It will be interesting to watch the play of Mana Silva in this game, who's been a pleasant surprise for this team both in the secondary and on special-teams. His versatility could force the Cowboys hand.

For Johnson, it will be interesting to see where his fate lies. Let's watch and see.   

The Running Backs

Both Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner finally saw the field against the Rams, and it was nice to see. Tanner made last year's roster and could win the job again by default, but it would be great to see some of Dunbar's speed out of the backfield and possibly on kickoff returns.

If Dunbar shows some of that electricity, could the Cowboys go with four running backs and go light somewhere else? He has one game to show something and for Tanner, I would like to see some of what we saw last year with some of that aggressive, hard running style that could be an asset for this offense.

Don't count out Jamize Olawale by any stretch. He survived the first cut and it appears that he's still clearly in the mix to win a roster spot. He had a great game against the Chargers and he could turn the last preseason game into battle of the running backs. His ability to also play fullback and special-teams makes him valuable.

Enough talking, let's watch this preseason finale!