ARLINGTON, Texas – The Cowboys wrapped up the preseason at AT&T Stadium with an afternoon game against the Chargers.
Before we turn our attention to the regular season, there will be some interesting roster cuts on Tuesday, and this game Saturday likely affected a few decisions.
Here are some players who stood out the most against the Chargers:
Buddy Johnson – If he's on the bubble to make the roster, Johnson didn't hurt his chances – he might have even helped himself. Johnson is a solid tackler, and that translates to special teams. But Johnson was active against the run with three tackles, and the pass, batting down a pass at the line of scrimmage in the first half. He was held out for most of the second half.
Deuce Vaughn – He showed us some flashes of what he can do last week, but then Vaughn took it to another level this week. More flashy runs in the open field by Deuce should solidify his spot on the roster, if it was even in doubt. And there was probably some doubt, considering he was in the lineup in the first place. But nine carries for 53 yards should improve his stock and make him safe for roster cuts.
Ryan Flournoy – Not to call him Cris Carter, but he's in the "all he does is catch touchdowns" conversation. Two TDs in the last two games is a positive sign for Flournoy, who caught both touchdowns from Trey Lance in the corner of the end zone. Flournoy did have some other plays in this game, showing some open-field moves as well.
Trey Lance – It wasn't great for Lance, who had five interceptions, including a pick-6, and a fumble. But it definitely wasn't all bad, especially because it didn't start well. But as the game went on, Lance looked more comfortable. And you can make the same argument for his entire preseason. He got better and better with the more reps he received. His touchdown run was something most starting quarterbacks cannot do – just turn the corner and outrun the entire defense to the end zone. He had a deep pass to Deontay Burnett that was a perfect would-be TD but Burnett couldn't haul it in. Overall, Lance had some ups and a lot of downs but he showed plenty of potential.
Asim Richards – Playing the game at left tackle, Richards had some impressive blocks, including a few in the running game that paved the way for big runs. His ability to play both left and right tackle, and guard, will help his value. Richards was likely already on the roster but he might have helped his chances of being a game-day swing tackle for Week 1.
John Stephens – Yes, he had a costly fumble before halftime that probably cost the Cowboys some points. However, the 26-yard gain is probably more impressive than the fumble was negative. What the Cowboys love about Stephens is his ability to get down the seam of the field as quickly as he did. Stephens also had another catch resulting in a first down. He was probably on the team before the game and nothing should change for his status.
Julius Wood – The ball just finds him. Wood had another interception – his second of the preseason – catching a deflected pass for a third-quarter turnover. Wood's game wasn't perfect as he was part of the opening-play 70-yard touchdown run. But overall, the Cowboys might have found another young, undrafted safety that they'll want to keep around.
Darius Harris – It's probably going to be tough for him to get into the linebacker conversation to make the roaster, but all he's done in two games is fly around the field and make plays. Harris had a half-sack and a handful of other plays on defense. And that's exactly what Harris did last week against the Raiders. He's an active player that could be a candidate for the practice squad.
