Staff Writers Pick These 8 Players To Watch

Malik Turner – On one hand, he led the team in receptions and made more plays than any other receiver in the first game. On the other, he did fumble the ball away and cost the Cowboys a chance for points before the half. So did Turner actually play well last Thursday night? I guess it's debatable, but what can't be debated is how well he played throughout camp. He's definitely in the mix to make the team and at this point, he'll need to shine even more on special teams. I would imagine Turner is not battling other receivers for a final spot, but other key special teams contributors. - Nick Eatman

Luke Gifford – Quietly, the young linebacker has had a solid training camp and even showed up at times in the first preseason game. There's been so much talk about the new additions at linebacker that Gifford has been overlooked. But he seems like a core special teams player and a solid backup. Right now, Jabril Cox hasn't been close to Gifford's level, but it's still early in the game. I want to see how Gifford plays with extended reps in this game. - Nick Eatman

Terence Steele – Three weeks into camp, there doesn't seem to be a clear frontrunner for the backup swing tackle job. Rookie Josh Ball has been out with an ankle injury. Free agent signing Ty Nsekhe has the most experience by far, but Steele did start almost the entire 2020 season at right tackle for the Cowboys. That's mostly where he's been in camp, but perhaps he'll get some more chances on the left side as we move deeper into preseason (and with Nsekhe appearing to get banged up a little bit in Wednesday's practice. The Cowboys obviously see potential in Steele, but the job seems wide open at this point. - Rob Phillips

Israel Mukuamu – The rookie safety showed his college cornerback experience in the Steelers game when he used his arm length to bat down a pass in coverage. Friday's game will be another good experience for him. Veteran Malik Hooker is expected to jump back into full practice soon, perhaps as early as next week. When he does, maybe he changes the safety math. The Cowboys can keep only so many defensive backs on the final roster, but Mukuamu has a really interesting skill set, and his position flex could help him win a spot. So would a strong preseason. - Rob Phillips

Brandon Knight – Lost in the shuffle of the swing tackle conversation behind Terence Steele and Ty Nsehke, is Brandon Knight. Quietly, Knight played 52 snaps in the Hall of Fame game with 42 coming at left tackle and 10 at right tackle. According to Pro Football Focus, Knight scored a higher offensive grade than Nsehke and was behind only Steele and La'el Collins for highest out of the tackle group. Knight played in key situations early in the 2020 season following the injury to Tyron Smith, before he himself had to undergo a knee scope after Week 6, putting him on Injured Reserve. This preseason is already serving as an opportunity for him to re-establish himself as the best swing tackle option on the Dallas roster. - Kyle Youmans

Bradlee Anae – No DeMarcus Lawrence, no Tarell Basham, and limited reps for Randy Gregory are expected in Arizona. Which sets up very nicely for 2020 fifth-round pick Bradlee Anae. The ultra-productive former Utah Ute was supposedly a steal in the draft last year when the Cowboys drafted him on Day Three. However, with no preseason and a limited offseason of work, Anae saw just six reps last year. This week may be one of the only chances he'll receive to make the roster before trim downs later this summer. He received multiple first-team snaps in practice earlier in the week, this is his time to show just how productive he can be. - Kyle Youmans

Nick Ralston – It's not a huge storyline in the grand scheme of things, but Ralston could be facing a big opportunity after the injury to Sewo Olonilua. Mike McCarthy likes having a fullback — and at 6'1, 240 pounds, Ralston has the frame to do that job. With Olonilua sidelined by a neck injury, I'm curious to see if the coaching staff finds some snaps for Ralston on offense to see what he can do. - David Helman

Maurice Canady – Canady shouldn't need an introduction at this point; he was one of the stars of the team's time in Oxnard. What we need to figure out now is what that means for the big picture. Jourdan Lewis is back from his hamstring injury, so these two should be able to split reps in the slot. If Canady can build on some great practices with a strong preseason, might he be fighting for regular season playing time? It feels too soon to say right now, but that's what makes the preseason interesting. - David Helman