5 Things to Watch For in Dallas Cowboys Preseason Opener

August is finally here and so is the preseason! Fans are excited to get football back, but Cowboys fans are a tad more excited. Hopefully the return of football will lessen the headlines and light a fire under the front office to sign Micah Parsons. Until then, the Cowboys at camp are focused on playing the preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams.

Here are five things to note before the game.

1 – How they played in practice

The Cowboys and Rams have been participating in joint practices this week. Coach Brian Schottenheimer was disappointed in the team playing with a high pad level, making it challenging to stop the run. After last year’s atrocious run defense, that’s a big area of concern for the Cowboys.

The defense also didn’t take anything away, while the Cowboys’ offense had an interception. While this seems minor, the Cowboys are learning where their team stands against another professional team. Whenever you have solo practices, you can’t judge whether the offense or defense made a good play. But when you’re practicing against another squad and coaching staff, that’s where the other miscues take place.

2 – The pass rush minus Micah Parsons

Everyone is focused on Micah Parsons and the drama surrounding that situation. Don’t let that deter you from the pass rushers available for Dallas. Second-round pick Donovan Ezeirauku is showing up and playing hard as a rookie, Marshawn Kneeland is stepping up in his second year, while Sam Williams is setting the tone for the line after missing the 2024 season with a torn ACL.

The only glimmer of hope is if, or when, Micah Parsons is back on the field is this defensive line will have extra reps to stand on and be ready for the season opener.

3 – Offensive line cohesion

The offensive line has been decimated by injuries. Whether it’s Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, or Rob Jones, the Cowboys have been grabbing guys off the street like Geron Christian to fill a need, including the return of La’el Collins. Rob Jones is officially out for the season with a broken neck, so that opens the door for guys like Nate Thomas, Saahdiq Charles, and Asim Richards to make names for themselves while TJ Bass and Brock Hoffman are trying to remain as the top backups on the depth chart.

For offensive linemen, with these injuries, it matters more to play well no matter who is beside you. It’s less about the chemistry with the rest of the line than it is to just outperform everyone else and make yourself stand out. In the event of another injury, which is likely with it only being August, the Cowboys’ coaching staff need to trust you can be plugged in and keep the same quality of play.

4 – Next Corner Up

Like the offensive line group, the cornerbacks are devastated by injuries right now. Star Trevon Diggs and rookie Shavon Revel Jr. are both recovering from ACL injuries last season, while Caelen Carson was announced to be out majority of the preseason. While the team is considering signing a corner, with Asante Samuel Jr. and Stephon Gilmore still on the open market, the team might have their next man up on this roster.

People have been really impressed with Kaiir Elam coming over from Buffalo, but can he put it together in a game? Kemon Hall has overtaken Israel Mukuamu on the depth chart as the nickel corner, but there’s not much depth behind them. Andrew Booth, Bruce Harmon, and Troy Pride Jr. are the other corners in the organization right now. If I was Dallas, I’d fear everyone behind DaRon Bland who could potentially start Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

5 – Joe Milton III

JM3 is the backup to Dak Prescott and in an ideal world, we’ll never see him play a snap for the Cowboys outside of garbage time with an insurmountable lead for Dallas. That might not be the case, as Prescott has missed some time recently, allowing former backup Cooper Rush to show why he’s a great roster option.

I’d assume Milton will get majority of playing time this preseason, splitting snaps with Will Grier, so that he can familiarize himself with the offense. If Milton can execute the offense, the Cowboys will be thankful they invested a 2025 fifth-round pick for their backup instead of drafting a rookie like Will Howard, Kyle McCord, or Riley Leonard, all available at that pick.

What are you looking for in the first preseason game for the Dallas Cowboys against the Los Angeles Rams? Let us know in the comments below.