The Dallas Cowboys have officially put a bow on training camp.
Dallas held its final training camp practice Wednesday night at The Star in Frisco, giving players one last opportunity to make an impression on the coaching staff before the Cowboys face the New Orleans Saints in their preseason finale Friday night.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer entered camp wanting his team to establish a physical identity, and he came away pleased with both the competition and overall depth of his roster. Now, attention turns toward New Orleans and the difficult roster decisions that will follow.
Here are three of the biggest takeaways from the Cowboys’ final training camp practice.
1. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb finish camp on a high note
If there were any concerns about CeeDee Lamb after the star receiver admitted this wasn’t his best training camp, he provided an encouraging response Wednesday.
Lamb made multiple impressive catches during red-zone work, including a contested grab with cornerback Cobie Durant in tight coverage. He later produced arguably the play of the night against DaRon Bland, tipping a pass to himself before securing the ball in the back of the end zone.
It was also an impressive conclusion to camp for Dak Prescott.
Prescott experimented with multiple arm angles, including some sidearm throws, while also connecting on several impressive passes from his traditional delivery. One of his best throws went to Ryan Flournoy after the receiver got behind Caleb Downs from the slot.
Dallas knows what it has in Prescott and Lamb, and neither needs preseason snaps to prove anything. But seeing the two-time All-Pro receiver and franchise quarterback end camp making big plays is exactly what the Cowboys wanted before shifting their attention toward the regular season.
2. Cowboys’ defense continues to flash its potential
One of the biggest themes throughout training camp has been the potential of Christian Parker’s defense, and Wednesday offered another glimpse of how deep this unit could be.
Veteran pass rusher Rashan Gary continued what has been an impressive first camp in Dallas by generating multiple quarterback pressures and at least one would-be sack. Safety Jalen Thompson also broke up passes intended for Jake Ferguson and Lamb, finishing camp strongly after dealing with injuries earlier in the summer.
Rookie cornerback Devin Moore made his presence felt as well, breaking up a deep pass in the end zone after staying in position throughout the route.
The linebacker competition also remains intriguing. Rookie Jaishawn Barham continued receiving first-team opportunities, while veteran Dee Winters worked as a nickel linebacker and recorded multiple pass breakups.
Dallas has spent the offseason rebuilding its defense around speed, versatility and competition. The final practice reinforced that Parker could have plenty of options when determining his rotations once the regular season begins.
3. Several roster battles are going down to the wire
Training camp may be finished, but the competition for the roster certainly isn’t.
Perhaps the most notable unresolved battle remains at backup quarterback. Joe Milton III and Sam Howell have competed throughout the summer, but neither has created enough separation to make the decision obvious entering the preseason finale.
That makes tonight’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints especially important.
The same applies to players fighting for roles throughout the Cowboys’ depth chart. Moore is trying to secure his position in a crowded secondary, while Winters is making a push for defensive snaps despite the attention surrounding Barham.
That’s a good problem for the Cowboys to have, but it will make the final round of roster cuts much more difficult.
Tonight’s preseason finale against the Saints represents the final audition.
For established stars such as Prescott and Lamb, the work is essentially finished until the regular season begins. For players battling for backup roles and the final spots on the 53-man roster, however, one strong performance against New Orleans could be the difference between making the Cowboys and looking for another opportunity.
