3 Cowboys Who Can Clinch a Roster Spot in Final Preseason Game
The Cowboys' preseason slate comes to an end Saturday when they host the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium. Considering how they're currently 0-2 on the exhibition slate, ending the preseason with a win (and the momentum that comes with it) could help them open the 2023 NFL season on the right foot.
Although names like Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb are locks to make the roster, other players are fighting for job security this weekend. The preseason finale is the last opportunity for some individuals to prove that they belong on the 53-man roster.
Here are three Cowboys who can clinch a roster spot during Saturday's preseason finale.
3 Cowboys Roster Projections
1. Rico Dowdle, RB
Rico Dowdle is someone that Cowboys fans saw as the backup running back behind Tony Pollard following Ezekiel Elliott's departure this offseason. After all, Dowdle showed enough potential that warranted his being signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2020.
The preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars was Dowdle's first audition for the RB2 role. While he finished with 54 total yards from scrimmage on nine opportunities (6 carries, 3 catches), his stock took a hit when he fumbled the ball at the Jaguars' goal line.
Fortunately, Dowdle isn't somebody who dwells on mistakes, which would make fictional soccer coach Ted Lass proud. He brutalized the Seattle Seahawks' defenders last weekend by rushing for 38 yards on 8 carries and adding another 9 yards on 2 receptions.
The highlight of his performance came when he found the end zone off a 6-yard pass in the second quarter for his first TD of the preseason.
No fumbling this one!
— Jett Beachum (@JetthroTV) August 20, 2023
RB Rico Dowdle wide open for the catch and touchdown to cap off an 80-yard drive.
Nice concept as Jalen Tolbert sits near the goal line to draw in the Seattle DB's #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/moI0E2HmcY
Dowdle's performance against the Seahawks put him on the right path to clinching a roster spot, but his job isn't done. Fellow RB Deuce Vaughn has also been solid throughout the preseason, even scoring a touchdown in each of the first two exhibition games. That's without mentioning Malik Davis, who's hanging in there.
Nevertheless, Dowdle has already been outplaying Davis, meaning the RB3 spot is his to lose. As long as he plays mistake-free football against the Raiders, No. 23 will be on the roster this fall.