5 Cowboys Playing for Their Job in Preseason Week 1

Dallas Cowboys fans across the country are pumped because America's Team finally returns to the gridiron this weekend. The Cowboys' preseason slate begins on the road when they travel to SoFi Stadium to take on Sean McVay's LA Rams on Sunday, Aug. 11.

The first game of the preseason is often the most important for several players. While the likes of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb likely won't play due to their roster spots practically being guaranteed, fringe players have no choice but to elevate their play during the preseason or risk being an early 53-man roster cut.

Keeping that in mind, here are five Cowboys who are playing for their jobs in Week 1 of the NFL preseason.

1. Deuce Vaughn, RB

Remember when Deuce Vaughn was a preseason darling in 2023? Last year's 212th selection's strong practice and exhibition performances convinced head coach Mike McCarthy to overlook his 5-foot-6 frame and add him to the 53-man roster.

But as much as a feel-good story that his making the team was, Vaughn didn't have the same success once the regular season arrived. The former Kansas State RB only managed to produce 40 rushing yards without a touchdown on 23 carries, translating to a putrid 1.7 yards per attempt. His struggles saw him quickly lose the RB2 job to Rico Dowdle, who dazzled with 89 carries for 361 rushing yards and two TDs.

Even with 2023 RB1 Tony Pollard leaving town this offseason, Vaughn's status with the team isn't any better than it was at the end of the season. For starters, Ezekiel Elliott is back in Dallas to lead the backfield while Dowdle is looking to build off last year's success. Malik Davis, Snoop Cooper, Hunter Luepke, and Royce Freeman are all looking for an opportunity, too.

Vaughn's journey to making the 53-man roster is only tougher now that he's dealing with a hamstring injury. If he can't heal quickly and power through the issue, there's a decent chance that the Cowboys could quickly give Vaughn the axe.

2. Eric Scott, CB

Eric Scott made his way to Dallas when the Cowboys used a sixth-round pick on him at the 2023 NFL Draft. In fact, Jerry Jones & Co. liked him so much that they traded a 2024 fifth-rounder to the Chiefs just to move up to draft him.

If you forget Scott was with the Cowboys, though, chances are that you aren't the only one. The former Southern Miss cornerback didn't play a single game for America's Team during the regular season despite appearing in all three of the team's exhibition contests.

Now that Dan Quinn is gone, many Cowboys fans are hopeful to see what Scott can do under defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. The second-year CB has been having a strong offseason performance under Zimmer's guidance, however, we know that impressive practice showings don't always translate to in-game results.

With DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs, and Jourdain Lewis beginning the year as the top three CBs, Scott needs to have a strong game against the Rams. Names like Caelen Carson and Nahshon Wright are breathing down his neck, leaving the ex-Golden Eagle with any room for error.

3. KaVontae Turpin, WR

KaVontae Turpin earned a lot of support from Cowboys fans after joining the franchise in 2022 following a USFL stint. The ex-TCU playmaker made his way onto the Pro Bowl roster as a returner after returning 29 punts for 303 yards and 21 kickoffs for another 508 yards.

Fans hoping for an encore performance in 2023 were left disappointed, though. Turpin just wasn't as effective as he was in the preseason season, producing just 79 return yards on 13 punts with 292 more yards on 10 kick returns. A big reason behind the decline was that Dallas used the ex-USFL MVP more on offense, proven by his offensive snap count jumping from 62 to 140.

Turpin certainly did what he could to make the most of his opportunities. Not only did he catch 12 of 18 targets (66.7%) for 127 yards and three touchdowns, but he also turned 10 carries into 110 rushing yards with another TD.

But even after that solid showing, Turpin isn't guaranteed to be the WR3 behind CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. Returning pass-catchers like Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, and Racey McMath are in the mix while rookie Ryan Flournoy won't go down without a fight either.

Instead of relying on last year's performance, Turpin must perform well against the Rams (and throughout the rest of the preseason) to improve his 53-man roster outlook. Failing to do so could see him fall into a lesser role or even be cut from the team altogether.

4. Trey Lance, QB

The 2024 NFL preseason could be the most important of Trey Lance's career thus far. The former 2021 third-overall selection was acquired by the Cowboys from the San Francisco 49ers last summer, however, Dallas decided to decline his fifth-year option back in May, leaving his long-term future up in the air.

After spending the entire 2023 season on the sidelines, Lance now has a chance to steal the QB2 job behind Dak Prescott. The role has been held by Cooper Rush since 2018 outside of a short stint with the New York Giants, leaving many to wonder if it was finally time for a change in the QB room.

So far, Lance's training camp has been a mixed bag. On one hand, he's made some nice throws and has even used his scrambling ability to get out of some tricky situations. The former North Dakota State gunslinger has 235 rushing yards and a touchdown on 54 career NFL touches.

On the other hand, Lance has also made his fair share of blunders during practice, which includes Wednesday's interception to third-year linebacker Markquese Bell.

Continuing to make those kinds of mistakes won't do Lance any favors. The Cowboys already know what they have with Rush and could be more inclined to keep him on as the QB2 if the 24-year-old — who's attempted just 420 passes since 2018 — proves that he still isn't ready for an NFL job.

After being teased as a "large part" of the Cowboys' preseason plans by head coach Mike McCarthy, Lance must figure out how to realize his potential if he wants to continue his career.

5. Mazi Smith, DT

Few Cowboys' performances were more disappointing last season than Mazi Smith. The promising defensive tackle couldn't generate any momentum due to a combination of improper usage and the coaching staff encouraging him to lose a ton of weight. As a result, he only tallied nine solo tackles and a sack in 17 games (3 starts).

The good news is that most reports surrounding Smith this offseason have been positive. He looks great after putting some of his lost weight back on and the fact that he has a more defined role in DC Zimmer's defense certainly helps, too. He also has a great mindset to help him succeed, stating that he's working on being the best version of himself rather than being focused on individual accolades.

If you look at most 53-man roster projections, Smith is often listed in one of the Cowboys' starting DT spots. A strong training camp showing has helped lead to that, however, that doesn't mean he's guaranteed to be a starter come September.

After all, the former Michigan Wolverine still needs to show that his improvements can produce results in meaningful scenarios. Balling out against your teammates in practice is one thing whereas actual in-game situations are another.

If Smith can have a strong showing against the Rams, I fully expect to see him in a starting role next season. If not, while I don't see the Cowboys cutting him, they might start to consider their other options up front.

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