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By Jon Machota Aug 23, 2019
The third preseason game typically is the most entertaining because it’s considered the regular-season dress rehearsal. For the Cowboys, that usually means extended playing time for their starters. But Dallas chose not to play starting quarterback Dak Prescott in last year’s third preseason game, instead having backups Cooper Rush and Mike White split snaps.
Those two are again expected to play the majority of Saturday evening’s game against the Houston Texans.
Even if Prescott does see some work, injuries and a holdout you might have heard about already assure no snaps for Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, Tyrone Crawford, Robert Quinn and probably Tyron Smith.
So we’re going to focus on some of the players who will be on the field most of the game.
A few players’ stocks have been rising recently to the point that they should influence how the team is trimmed from 90 to 53 by the end of the month. From taking in preseason games, training camp practices and conversations with people in the know, here are five under-the-radar players to focus on when the Cowboys take the field Saturday at AT&T Stadium. A couple of them could make an impact this season.
1.) Donovan Wilson, S.
Most thought the Cowboys would address safety in the second round of this year’s draft. Dallas not only passed in Round 2, it went in other directions in the third, fourth and fifth rounds as well. Finally, in the sixth round, they selected Wilson out of Texas A&M.
Entering camp, the frontrunners for the top four safety spots were Xavier Woods, Jeff Heath, Kavon Frazier and Darian Thompson. Well, Wilson has worked his way into that group. He has been around the ball a lot while taking reps with the second and third teams during practice. He had an interception in Dallas’ first preseason game. And on Tuesday, he got a chance to work with the first team at strong safety.
“I like the way he has picked things up really quickly,” Defensive Backs Coach Kris Richard said. “He’s aggressive out there. He plays with really good speed. He’s a ferocious hitter. He loves football. He’s been one of the bright spots in regards to taking the ball away in camp. The more ball guys that we can get, the more positive it is for us.”
During Thursday’s practice, Prescott threw a slant to Devin Smith that bounced off the receivers’ hands and right to a waiting Wilson, who caught it and returned it up the sideline.
Woods and Heath are the expected Week 1 starters, but look for Wilson to make the roster and eventually compete for some playing time.
After the draft in April, Jerry Jones was talking about Wilson’s physical play in college when he said: “He will bite. And if they bite as a puppy, they’ll bite as a dog. He’ll bite.”
Wilson has indeed been biting.
2.) Devin Smith, WR.
He has come on strong over the last couple of weeks, proving to be one of the most consistent receivers with the second-team offense. Smith had a team-high three catches for 54 yards in the preseason opener. Last Saturday in Hawaii, he added another three catches for 24 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown on a fade ball to the back right corner of the end zone from Rush.
“It gave me all the confidence in the world,” Smith said of the TD. “Right now, I’m just trying to keep moving forward and just trying to build on everything that’s happening these past couple of weeks.”
During Thursday’s practice at The Star, Smith was getting some work in with the first-team offense. The other receivers with that first group included Michael Gallup, Randall Cobb and Tavon Austin. Smith receiving these opportunities is a good sign. Earlier in camp, we saw those reps to go to young receivers like Jon’Vea Johnson and Reggie Davis, a pair that have taken a backseat to Smith after some recent struggles in Hawaii.
The Cowboys are unlikely to keep more than six receivers. Cooper, Gallup, Cobb and Austin seem to be locks. That leaves two spots for Smith, Johnson, Davis, Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown and Jalen Guyton. If Smith continues building on this recent momentum, he’ll be a good bet for one of those spots.
While Smith was being interviewed by a group of reporters on Wednesday, Prescott smiled and said, “I see you, Devin.” The quarterback then added that the former second-round pick deserved the media attention.
Smith was the 37th player selected in 2015. But two ACL injuries to the same right knee in less than two years ultimately led to the New York Jets releasing him. Smith, who signed with the Cowboys in January, said the last time he felt this good was back in 2015 before his first knee injury.
Smith was a deep threat on Ohio State’s national championship team in 2014. That year, he averaged 28 yards per catch, finishing with 33 receptions, 931 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Cowboys need a big-play option to help take the top off the defense. Smith just might end up being that guy.
3.) Daniel Wise, DL.
Some were surprised that the former Kansas standout went undrafted in April. He was first-team All-Big 12 his senior year, totaling 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli mentioned Wise this week when running through a group of linemen who have impressed him. Wise continues to see reps at tackle and end.
“I like his suddenness inside as a rusher and his stoutness as an end,” Marinelli said. “I’m just going to let it play all the way through. He has no problem mentally. He does a great job with all of it. I’ve been impressed, so far.”
The current roster provides the best depth Marinelli’s had along the defensive front since he joined the Cowboys’ staff in 2013. In terms of defensive linemen on the final roster, 10 seems like a good number to target. These are currently my top 11: Lawrence, Quinn, Crawford, Maliek Collins, Antwaun Woods, Dorance Armstrong, Taco Charlton, Kerry Hyder, Christian Covington, Trysten Hill and Joe Jackson. Wise would be No. 12.
Dallas is not keeping 12, but Quinn is suspended the first two games and there’s always the chance of injury or a potential trade, which could open up a place for Wise.
Wise’s father, Deatrich Sr., coached under Cowboys VP of Player Personnel Will McClay with the Dallas Desperados. His brother, Deatrich Wise, was a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2017. He has 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 35 quarterback hits over the last two seasons.
4.) Donovan Olumba, CB.
His confidence seems to grow by the day. Olumba was excellent in last Saturday’s preseason game, finishing with a pass deflection, five tackles and a tackle for loss.
During practice this week he was very effective in one-on-one drills, shutting out the receiver he was defending on all three red-zone opportunities on Wednesday.
Olumba doesn’t have elite speed, which could be a problem down the road against fast receivers, but it hasn’t been an issue during practices or preseason games this year.
Richard prefers longer corners, and Olumba certainly checks that box at 6-2.
“He has really matured in his overall understanding of the defense, his overall understanding of his athletic ability,” Richard said. “He has really been picking up concepts really well. His eyes have been disciplined. He’s been putting himself in the proper position. He’s been executing at a high level.”
Look for Dallas to keep six corners. Right now, I have Olumba at No. 7 behind Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Mike Jackson and C.J. Goodwin. But with Jones a question mark for Week 1 and Jackson dealing with an injury, there’s a chance Olumba could make the 53-man roster.
5.) Justin Phillips, LB.
Through two preseason games, Phillips has a team-high 12 tackles, an interception and one pass deflection.
And his best play of all might have come during practice this week.
During one-on-one red-zone passing drills, Phillips stayed step-for-step with the back he was defending, then got around just in time to catch Prescott’s short pass attempt. Phillips immediately got to his feet and returned it down the field with Jaylon Smith running step for step alongside him.
Luke Gifford was the undrafted rookie linebacker getting all the attention early in camp, but since his ankle injury, Phillips has been the youngster turning heads at the position.
I think Dallas could keep seven linebackers. I currently have Phillips ranked eighth in that position group behind Vander Esch, Smith, Sean Lee, Joe Thomas, Justin March-Lillard, Chris Covington and Gifford.
Phillips started every game at Oklahoma State last season, leading the team with 98 tackles.
By Jon Machota Aug 23, 2019
The third preseason game typically is the most entertaining because it’s considered the regular-season dress rehearsal. For the Cowboys, that usually means extended playing time for their starters. But Dallas chose not to play starting quarterback Dak Prescott in last year’s third preseason game, instead having backups Cooper Rush and Mike White split snaps.
Those two are again expected to play the majority of Saturday evening’s game against the Houston Texans.
Even if Prescott does see some work, injuries and a holdout you might have heard about already assure no snaps for Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Jones, Tyrone Crawford, Robert Quinn and probably Tyron Smith.
So we’re going to focus on some of the players who will be on the field most of the game.
A few players’ stocks have been rising recently to the point that they should influence how the team is trimmed from 90 to 53 by the end of the month. From taking in preseason games, training camp practices and conversations with people in the know, here are five under-the-radar players to focus on when the Cowboys take the field Saturday at AT&T Stadium. A couple of them could make an impact this season.
1.) Donovan Wilson, S.
Most thought the Cowboys would address safety in the second round of this year’s draft. Dallas not only passed in Round 2, it went in other directions in the third, fourth and fifth rounds as well. Finally, in the sixth round, they selected Wilson out of Texas A&M.
Entering camp, the frontrunners for the top four safety spots were Xavier Woods, Jeff Heath, Kavon Frazier and Darian Thompson. Well, Wilson has worked his way into that group. He has been around the ball a lot while taking reps with the second and third teams during practice. He had an interception in Dallas’ first preseason game. And on Tuesday, he got a chance to work with the first team at strong safety.
“I like the way he has picked things up really quickly,” Defensive Backs Coach Kris Richard said. “He’s aggressive out there. He plays with really good speed. He’s a ferocious hitter. He loves football. He’s been one of the bright spots in regards to taking the ball away in camp. The more ball guys that we can get, the more positive it is for us.”
During Thursday’s practice, Prescott threw a slant to Devin Smith that bounced off the receivers’ hands and right to a waiting Wilson, who caught it and returned it up the sideline.
Woods and Heath are the expected Week 1 starters, but look for Wilson to make the roster and eventually compete for some playing time.
After the draft in April, Jerry Jones was talking about Wilson’s physical play in college when he said: “He will bite. And if they bite as a puppy, they’ll bite as a dog. He’ll bite.”
Wilson has indeed been biting.
2.) Devin Smith, WR.
He has come on strong over the last couple of weeks, proving to be one of the most consistent receivers with the second-team offense. Smith had a team-high three catches for 54 yards in the preseason opener. Last Saturday in Hawaii, he added another three catches for 24 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown on a fade ball to the back right corner of the end zone from Rush.
“It gave me all the confidence in the world,” Smith said of the TD. “Right now, I’m just trying to keep moving forward and just trying to build on everything that’s happening these past couple of weeks.”
During Thursday’s practice at The Star, Smith was getting some work in with the first-team offense. The other receivers with that first group included Michael Gallup, Randall Cobb and Tavon Austin. Smith receiving these opportunities is a good sign. Earlier in camp, we saw those reps to go to young receivers like Jon’Vea Johnson and Reggie Davis, a pair that have taken a backseat to Smith after some recent struggles in Hawaii.
The Cowboys are unlikely to keep more than six receivers. Cooper, Gallup, Cobb and Austin seem to be locks. That leaves two spots for Smith, Johnson, Davis, Cedrick Wilson, Noah Brown and Jalen Guyton. If Smith continues building on this recent momentum, he’ll be a good bet for one of those spots.
While Smith was being interviewed by a group of reporters on Wednesday, Prescott smiled and said, “I see you, Devin.” The quarterback then added that the former second-round pick deserved the media attention.
Smith was the 37th player selected in 2015. But two ACL injuries to the same right knee in less than two years ultimately led to the New York Jets releasing him. Smith, who signed with the Cowboys in January, said the last time he felt this good was back in 2015 before his first knee injury.
Smith was a deep threat on Ohio State’s national championship team in 2014. That year, he averaged 28 yards per catch, finishing with 33 receptions, 931 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Cowboys need a big-play option to help take the top off the defense. Smith just might end up being that guy.
3.) Daniel Wise, DL.
Some were surprised that the former Kansas standout went undrafted in April. He was first-team All-Big 12 his senior year, totaling 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli mentioned Wise this week when running through a group of linemen who have impressed him. Wise continues to see reps at tackle and end.
“I like his suddenness inside as a rusher and his stoutness as an end,” Marinelli said. “I’m just going to let it play all the way through. He has no problem mentally. He does a great job with all of it. I’ve been impressed, so far.”
The current roster provides the best depth Marinelli’s had along the defensive front since he joined the Cowboys’ staff in 2013. In terms of defensive linemen on the final roster, 10 seems like a good number to target. These are currently my top 11: Lawrence, Quinn, Crawford, Maliek Collins, Antwaun Woods, Dorance Armstrong, Taco Charlton, Kerry Hyder, Christian Covington, Trysten Hill and Joe Jackson. Wise would be No. 12.
Dallas is not keeping 12, but Quinn is suspended the first two games and there’s always the chance of injury or a potential trade, which could open up a place for Wise.
Wise’s father, Deatrich Sr., coached under Cowboys VP of Player Personnel Will McClay with the Dallas Desperados. His brother, Deatrich Wise, was a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2017. He has 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 35 quarterback hits over the last two seasons.
4.) Donovan Olumba, CB.
His confidence seems to grow by the day. Olumba was excellent in last Saturday’s preseason game, finishing with a pass deflection, five tackles and a tackle for loss.
During practice this week he was very effective in one-on-one drills, shutting out the receiver he was defending on all three red-zone opportunities on Wednesday.
Olumba doesn’t have elite speed, which could be a problem down the road against fast receivers, but it hasn’t been an issue during practices or preseason games this year.
Richard prefers longer corners, and Olumba certainly checks that box at 6-2.
“He has really matured in his overall understanding of the defense, his overall understanding of his athletic ability,” Richard said. “He has really been picking up concepts really well. His eyes have been disciplined. He’s been putting himself in the proper position. He’s been executing at a high level.”
Look for Dallas to keep six corners. Right now, I have Olumba at No. 7 behind Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Mike Jackson and C.J. Goodwin. But with Jones a question mark for Week 1 and Jackson dealing with an injury, there’s a chance Olumba could make the 53-man roster.
5.) Justin Phillips, LB.
Through two preseason games, Phillips has a team-high 12 tackles, an interception and one pass deflection.
And his best play of all might have come during practice this week.
During one-on-one red-zone passing drills, Phillips stayed step-for-step with the back he was defending, then got around just in time to catch Prescott’s short pass attempt. Phillips immediately got to his feet and returned it down the field with Jaylon Smith running step for step alongside him.
Luke Gifford was the undrafted rookie linebacker getting all the attention early in camp, but since his ankle injury, Phillips has been the youngster turning heads at the position.
I think Dallas could keep seven linebackers. I currently have Phillips ranked eighth in that position group behind Vander Esch, Smith, Sean Lee, Joe Thomas, Justin March-Lillard, Chris Covington and Gifford.
Phillips started every game at Oklahoma State last season, leading the team with 98 tackles.
