Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has no doubts about his stance on one of the most significant coaching controversies in the NFL coaching world: Whether or not to play starters in the preseason.

Every August, fans wonder if they'll see the first team in the preseason. Media members bombard coaches with questions about it every week. And each coach will lay out their philosophy regarding such a complicated decision.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton just played quarterback Russell Wilson into the second quarter after using his "play the starters" philosophy as a selling point during his campaign for a head coaching spot in the NFL. 

To put the different views around the league into perspective, consider this: Wilson's 20 snaps well outnumbered those of first-round rookie quarterbacks C.J. Stroud (12) and Bryce Young (11). 

The Cowboys' view is crystal clear: Put the starters in bubble wrap. Since McCarthy arrived in Dallas in 2020, Dak Prescott has played zero preseason snaps. Where does that way of thinking come from? 

"I think it's really from experience," the Cowboys head coach told reporters on Monday. "I've done it both ways, I think that (it depends on) where your team is, what you think of your team, we feel very strongly about our roster."

But is it a missed chance to develop the players? In the eyes of McCarthy, the guys who need development aren't the ones expected to start on Sunday come September. If anything, development is exactly why the reps don't go to the starters.

"I've always looked at roster development from the back forward," he added. "We have a really good understanding of the guys that we have here that have established themselves in the locker room. This is really the best format for roster development."

For the detractors of such a philosophy, one of the biggest arguments is how players can show up rusty and unprepared for the regular season. And yet, that can be balanced with good practice. 

The Cowboys even decided to skip joint practices this year as they trust their roster to feed off of each other well enough. The head coach revealed he feels better about how the team has done things this year as opposed to the last couple of years when they've held joint practices.

"The most important side is, do you have the training available to make sure your team is ready for Week 1?" explained the Cowboys coach. "I have a lot of confidence in the way we train and the way we compete against one another out here."

If Cowboys fans needed any further clarification, starters are highly unlikely to play over the next couple of preseason games. The exception to that will likely be young starters taking on more responsibility like TE Jake Ferguson, CB DaRon Bland, and LB Damone Clark.

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Featured image via Dallas Cowboys YouTube