Preseason Success Brings Tough Choices
The Dallas Cowboys are navigating an unusually positive problem: their roster looks so strong that difficult decisions lie ahead. After a 34-13 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in their second preseason game, the team improved to 2-0 in exhibition play for the first time in 19 years. According to Essentially Sports, the last time the Cowboys started the preseason with two wins was in 2007, when they defeated the Indianapolis Colts 23-10 and the Denver Broncos 31-20. Heavy. also highlighted the blowout win, noting the Cowboys' offense was "clicking on all cylinders" and that quarterback Joe Milton III threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score.
Despite the historic start, both reports focus on the challenges ahead. As one article put it, the Cowboys are now facing a "real problem" because of their depth at wide receiver, a position group that is "looking deeper than expected."
The Cowboys' success has been across the board. Essentially Sports detailed that the team has scored 51 points in two games, with quarterbacks Joe Milton III and Sam Howell leading the charge. Against the Seattle Seahawks, Milton completed 12-of-15 for 107 yards and a touchdown, while Howell went 8-of-12 for 94 yards and another score. In the game against the Cardinals, Milton completed 9-of-13 for 179 yards and two touchdowns, and Howell added 7-of-10 for 65 yards and an interception. The team tallied 338 total yards in the opener and 413 against the Cardinals, with 225 of those coming through the air in the second game.
Defensively, the Cowboys have allowed just 20 points in the two contests and have not given up a touchdown in the first six quarters, according to Essentially Sports. That report compares this unit favorably to last season's "disappointing" defense, which ultimately led to the firing of Matt Eberflus.
However, the most pressing discussion comes from The Athletic's Jon Machota, as quoted by Heavy. Machota examined the roster battles and identified wide receiver as one of the team's most difficult decisions. He reported that CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, and KaVontae Turpin are roster locks, with the fifth spot coming down to veteran Jonathan Mingo and undrafted rookie Camden Brown.
The Wide Receiver Conundrum
Brown has been a standout, making highlight plays every day in practice and in both preseason games, according to Heavy. He led the Cowboys in receiving against the Cardinals with 77 yards on two catches, including a 70-yard reception, and scored two touchdowns in the preseason opener against the Seahawks. Mingo has also performed well, hauling in two receptions for 63 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown, and has been described as a deep-threat pass catcher alongside Brown.
Heavy reported that the Cowboys may not be able to keep three quarterbacks if they keep six wide receivers. This tension could be a central theme as the team finalizes its roster. Both Mingo and Brown have been so impressive that if waived, they would likely be claimed by other NFL teams, making the decision even more difficult. The report argues that the Cowboys might have no choice but to keep both players.
Historical Context and Optimism
Essentially Sports connects the 2019 preseason start to the previous era. The 2007 roster included Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Jason Witten, DeMarcus Ware, and Marion Barber, a team that went 13-3, won the NFC East, and eventually lost to the New York Giants in the Divisional Round. That team's history, combined with the Cowboys missing the postseason each of the last two seasons, has elevated expectations for a roster that is now showing impressive depth.
However, some cautioned that preseason success does not carry over, as one report wrote: "It's just the preseason we are talking about." The 2-0 start, the strong play of Milton, and the emergence of young players have generated hope, but the eventual deciding decision remains for the Cowboys' management.
Looking Ahead
As the Cowboys prepare for the rest of the preseason, the roster decisions loom. With the emergence of Brown and Mingo, the Cowboys may have to choose between keeping an extra receiver or an extra quarterback, a decision that could shape the start of their season. However, for a team that has struggled to make the playoffs in recent years, an abundance of talent is a welcome, though complicated, problem.
"They can't screw this up," was Heavy. noted, capturing to the pressure on the front office to keep both standout players. The upcoming roster cuts will tell whether Dallas can manage its depth or whether it has to make a tough decision.