The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their 2026 preseason with a 17-7 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night, but the final score only tells part of the story.

Beyond the individual winners and losers, which I already listed including rookie WR Camden Brown, several broader takeaways emerged from the Cowboys’ preseason opener that could shape roster decisions heading into the regular season. From running back concerns to special teams struggles, let’s break it down.

Running back and offensive line depth are problems

Perhaps the most pressing issue to come out of Saturday’s game was the production from the players competing for the backup running back job. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said last week that Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah were locked in a tight battle for the backup spot. The two combined for just 2.27 yards per attempt against Seattle.

The third- and fourth-string backs fared much better. Malik Davis ran for 39 yards on seven attempts (5.6 yards per carry), and Israel Abanikanda added 36 yards on seven carries for a 5.1 average. The problem, though, wasn’t exclusively on Blue and Mafa. The backup offensive line failed to create running lanes, compounding the struggles in the ground game.

Given the low production from Blue and Mafah, and the question marks Blue carries over from last season, the Cowboys may need to explore outside options at running back before the regular season begins. Davis and Abanikanda showed well, but are they good enough to battle for the RB2 spot?

The running game issues bled into a larger concern: the Cowboys appear to have only six quality offensive linemen, their five starters plus TJ Bass. Bass, who profiles as the swing guard and backup center, played early in the game but was pulled earlier than the rest of the initial O-line. 

Backup left tackle Nate Thomas struggled, drawing a false start penalty on a key third down. Beyond him, most of the reserve linemen had rough outings. Ajani Cornelius may have been an exception with a solid performance at first glance, but the overall picture was concerning. The Cowboys should be looking for offensive line depth before the regular season, in my opinion.

Cowboys special teams need fixing

When the Cowboys’ 2025 season ended, the front office made it clear they were unhappy with the performance of special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen’s unit. Nothing on Saturday changed my mind about that concern.

The Cowboys had multiple special teams blunders, including a terrible fumble by wide receiver Traeshon Holden, missed tackles in coverage, and multiple penalties. This was already an issue in 2025, and it remains one heading into 2026. Something to watch closely.

Dallas doesn’t care about preseason wins

The Cowboys made it abundantly clear on Saturday night that they have no interest in risking significant players in preseason games. Caleb Downs received the green light to play but didn’t even finish the first defensive drive, logging just eight snaps before he was pulled. Ryan Flournoy and Kavontae Turpin, the team’s third and fourth wide receivers, didn’t play at all. Neither did second-year EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku nor TE2 Brevyn Spann-Ford. 

I understand the approach. I watched New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart get obliterated on a blitz during his preseason appearance, and that’s exactly the kind of outcome the Cowboys want to avoid. Don’t expect that philosophy to change in Weeks 2 and 3 of the preseason.

The tight end picture is getting clearer

Based on who played and who didn’t, we got a significant answer at tight end. Brevy Spann-Ford did not suit up Saturday, which tells us the Cowboys know he’s their No. 2 tight end and Jake Ferguson’s running mate in the offense.

That clarity, however, opens a lot of question marks about former second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker, who got the start Saturday night. When Schoonmaker was taken out, he watched Michael Trigg haul in four catches for 30 yards in impressive fashion. Schoonmaker should be at least a little concerned about his roster spot. We’ll see how that evolves during the next two preseason games.

Sam Howell is the backup QB favorite

Sam Howell got the start on Saturday night, and that was telling. Schottenheimer said earlier in the week that Howell “moves the offense,” and giving him the first opportunity reinforced that sentiment. The best guy gets the first go, and Howell got the first go.

Joe Milton played well in the second half, completing 80% of his passes, so I do say this with a grain of salt because the competition is ongoing. But I don’t care how the Cowboys want to portray this. It was a telling decision. As of right now, I’d go as far as saying it’s Howell’s job to lose.