Brian Schottenheimer doesn’t want Dallas Cowboys players reading 53-man roster projections. There’s one preseason game remaining before the team must trim its roster from 90 to 53 next Tuesday. The head coach wants the players concentrating on their own consistency.
To him, that’s the best way to make it through final cuts.
“You (reporters) have been talking about cutdowns for about four weeks,” Schottenheimer said, “so I don’t think you guys help, but don’t read the numbers, man. Like, why would you read the numbers? This is a physical game. Don’t get caught up in that. ‘Well, hey, they might only keep five or six receivers and I’m the seventh guy right now.’
“Like, why would you do that? Like, we haven’t made any decisions yet. We haven’t named any starters. So just go play. Go play the game that you love to play and if you play well and you do things consistently and you make plays and you show up on film, I think you’ve done everything you can do to make this football team.”
The Cowboys close out the preseason against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium. As has been the case during the previous two preseason games, don’t expect to see many Week 1 starters on the field.
Here’s what to watch for Friday night.
Joe Milton
His first two preseason starts have been rough, completing 26 of 47 passes for 265 yards with only one touchdown, two interceptions and a 61.04 passer rating. He says he approached those games as preseason games but will be approaching Friday like it’s a regular-season game.
Milton entered training camp expected to be Dak Prescott’s backup. But there have to be some questions internally about that still being the plan. A strong showing against the Falcons could go a long way.
“I feel like I show the team what I’m capable of every day,” Milton said. “I show up and be the same person every day. I come out with the same energy. … Rome wasn’t built in one day. I feel like no matter what I do, no matter what anybody can do, just keep chipping away and being the best person you can be day in and day out.”
Jaydon Blue
An ankle injury two weeks ago sidelined Blue until Tuesday’s practice. After missing both preseason games, he looks ready to play Friday. Blue was really starting to turn heads before the injury. The fifth-round pick should be a major factor in the run game this season, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles full contact for the first time in the NFL.
“I just think I bring a lot of things to the table,” Blue said, “not only at the running back position, but in the passing game.”
Cowboys rookie RB Jaydon Blue (ankle) was a full participant in today’s practice. He didn’t have any limitations. “I’m feeling great. I feel I’m back to myself.”
“I think I was having a great camp before I went down. I’m just ready to showcase (what I can do) in a game Friday.”
Phil Mafah
While Blue is basically a lock to make the roster, the same isn’t true for Mafah. The rookie seventh-round pick has performed well since the pads came on early in training camp. His physical running style has stood out most. But can Dallas keep five running backs? Javonte Williams, Blue and fullback Hunter Luepke are all expected to make the team. The No. 4 spot could come down to Mafah or veteran Miles Sanders. Mafah should get a lot of work Friday. Through the first two preseason games, he has carried the ball 13 times for 43 yards. Sanders has carried seven times for 15 yards.
WR No. 6
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo are the top five wide receivers on the roster. If all were healthy, that might be the group the Cowboys go with into Week 1. But a recent knee injury is expected to keep Mingo out at least a month. That likely opens the door for at least one more wide receiver. Ryan Flournoy seems like the favorite entering the final preseason game with Jalen Brooks and Traeshon Holden both putting up a fight. It’s possible that a big game Friday could be what decides things.
Defensive tackle
The position needs someone to step up. Mazi Smith and Jay Toia should see snaps again Friday. If neither look ready to be a consistent contributor on Sundays, the Cowboys probably have to find someone off another team’s roster. New defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has a good track record of stopping the run. Will he be able to get that done with average to below average tackle play? Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas should hold their own during the season, but at least one more player is needed to do the same at the position.
Zion Childress
He’s been one of Dallas’ top three cornerbacks since the start of training camp. There’s a realistic possibility that the Cowboys could go into the season opener in Philadelphia with DaRon Bland and Kaiir Elam starting on the outside and Childress on the inside as the nickel corner. Cornerback remains arguably the biggest question mark position on the roster. Help from outside of The Star is probably needed, but going off what is currently on the depth chart, the undrafted rookie from Kentucky has done enough to not only make the roster but play immediately.
Game plan
Don’t expect to see much change from the first two games. It sounds like the plan is to continue being as basic as possible. “We’ve had a great training camp,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on the local TV broadcast of Wednesday’s practice at The Star. “I know the preseason games haven’t been perfect, but we expect that because we’re not wanting to really show anything, whether it’s offense or defense, what the Cowboys are going to be about this year. We’re sure looking forward to two weeks from Thursday when we get to go up to Philadelphia and see what we’re about.”
It would’ve been entertaining to see Prescott, Lamb and Pickens for a series or two before the season opener. They’ve looked good in practices. But it’s a combination of wanting top players to avoid injuries and not wanting to show the Eagles what the new coaching staff has been preparing. The other side of the argument is that not playing so many key starters could lead to a sloppy start to the season.