After three weeks of camp, it's finally time play some football. Even if it's a preseason game, this is when things start to ramp up in terms of the evaluation process.
How these players perform under the bright lights will carry plenty of weight when it comes time to make decision.
Our staff writers have been here at camp the entire time and will be keeping tabs on several players.
But here are four offensive guys that the writers will be paying attention to on Saturday night:
Rob Phillips:
WR Cedrick Wilson: Among the young wideouts battling for backup spots, receivers coach Sanjay Lal says no one has improved more than Wilson. He's been attentive in meetings and he doesn't make the same mistake twice. Coaches love that. Wilson might not have the same top-end speed as rookies Jon'Vea Johnson or Jalen Guyton, but he's seemingly made an impressive catch in practice every day for the last week. Last August, the first-year receiver was lost for the season to shoulder surgery. It's taken him some time to work back in, but he's an efficient route runner and he can play inside or out.
David Helman:
Dalton Schultz: The other day my boss, Derek Eagleton, made a pretty astute observation. Between the talk about Jason Witten's return and the hype about Blake Jarwin's development, we haven't talked a whole lot about Dalton Schultz. The second-year tight end has been plugging away as the third tight end in this offense. He's definitely made some plays, but he hasn't commanded much of a spotlight. With the first preseason game upon us, I want to see if that changes. Schultz seems to have grown as both a blocker and a receiver, and that could show up in a big way against San Francisco. Witten is unlikely to play past the first quarter, which means there should be plenty of opportunity for Schultz to show his stuff.
Nick Eatman:
Reggie Davis: Over the years, several receivers have had camps like Reggie Davis. Guys that have a particular skill set and can flash some big plays, will catch everyone's attention. That is what Davis has done with his speed. He's super fast and can run by people. Let's see if he does that in the game. Dozens of receivers over my time with the Cowboys – and probably much longer that that – have shined in California but never did much when it really counted. Can Davis take his success to the games? We're about to find out. I think he'll also help his chances with the opportunities he sees on special teams.
Bryan Broaddus:
Cooper Rush: I will be interested to see if Cooper Rush can carry over some of the positive practices that he's had in Oxnard to the game field. His accuracy along with his quickness of delivery has improved. He's moving around better in the pocket which has helped his game overall. I want to see him move the team and finish drives with points. He should benefit from some guys around him that will help him have some success. For the most part it will be a veteran offensive line with quality at running back and receivers. If he lacks that success I speak of it will be on him and that's what I want to see.
