Blogging The Boys
So far this summer, the Dallas Cowboys have dominated the airwaves for all the wrong reasons. The team and Micah Parsons appear to be in a contractual stalemate that has been highly publicized, culminating in Parsons requesting a trade from the team, with team owner Jerry Jones being steadfast in his desire not to trade away the All-Pro defender. Furthermore, injuries have taken a toll on the team in Oxnard, testing their depth and forcing them to sign players to the roster as a means to have healthy enough bodies to make it through practice. With all the drama surrounding the team, one could almost forget that they have a game to play on Saturday.
With a short three-game slate of preseason games, the Cowboys have to use that scarce opportunity to answer several big questions on their roster. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer has a lot to assess before the final cuts as he examines the secondary and down roster players on the depth chart and beyond. Despite this week’s game being “meaningless” in the long run, there’ll be a lot to digest in the team’s first preseason game of 2025. Here are 4 things to look for against the Los Angeles Rams.
Bazooka Joe
By now, we have less optimism regarding the sustained health of Dak Prescott. Prescott hasn’t played a full season since 2019 and missed the final nine games of 2024 with a hamstring injury. Having a suitable insurance policy is imperative for the Cowboys. Behind Prescott are Joe Milton and Will Grier. The former is one of the biggest arms you’ll see in the NFL and has left many in amazement at training camp with how effortlessly he drives the football down the field.
Cowboys quarterback coach Steve Shimko spoke glowingly of Milton’s progress over the summer:
“He’s great fundamentally, his feet are getting better every day as well, but his biggest jump (has been) taking every practice rep like it’s a game, like he could really get hit,” Shimko said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.
“That ball’s coming out, he’s finding completions, he’s really running the offense. Instead of just trying to show off his arm, which we all know he has one of the best arms in the world, he’s now playing quarterback.”
Milton also has excellent athleticism to extend plays and find his receivers down the field once a play breaks down. How much he plays will speak volumes about how ready the team thinks he is to back up Prescott.
Sorting out the running back rotation
Heading into this season, running back is largely a mystery for the Cowboys. While the Cowboys didn’t invest premium resources at the position, they certainly added multiple options, with at least a running back by committee approach, and at best, hoping the cream will rise to the top. So far, rookie Jaydon Blue has looked really good, showing off his speed and fluidity through the holes, but sustained a bone bruise injury...
