Cowboys UDFA on track to steal teammate's job in preseason finale
The Dallas Cowboys play their preseason finale versus the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night and we're in for a fun one. Despite weeks of training camp and preseason football, there are roster battles that remain to be defined and Saturday's game could be what determines final winners as cutdown day quickly approaches. One battle […]
The Dallas Cowboys play their preseason finale versus the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday night and we're in for a fun one.
Despite weeks of training camp and preseason football, there are roster battles that remain to be defined and Saturday's game could be what determines final winners as cutdown day quickly approaches.
One battle that has gone from under the radar to taking the main stage involves undrafted rookie offensive lineman T.J. Bass and second-year player Josh Ball.
Both are aiming to be the Cowboys' swing guard entering the regular season but the numbers game behind putting together a 53-man roster might keep Dallas from keeping both on board. Stephen Jones hinted earlier this month the team might carry between nine and ten offensive linemen total.
In my 53-man roster projection, I had them at nine with Ball making it over the rookie. The reasoning behind this is mainly that we've seen Ball starting preseason games and playing some decent football. Pass protection is the biggest knock everyone has for his game and last Saturday, he allowed zero pressures on 27 pass blocking snaps. Many of which were against the Seahawks' starting defensive line.
In the run game, Ball looked like his usual self and ended the game with the highest run-blocking grade by PFF. Ball's run-blocking skills are what earned him a place on the team before.
But during this week's practices, Bass has gotten increased reps at right guard with the starters after a couple of solid preseason outings.
"You see him in these preseason games and he's moving people in the run game and I think he's been steady in the pass game," Iisha Morrison from the official Dallas Cowboys' podcast Girls Talk, Boys Talk told me on my nightly show A to Z Sports Dallas Primetime. "I know Josh Ball had a good game (last week) but I do think that Bass gives you a little bit more sureness in the passing game."
If Bass is able to build on that, he could very well leave Ball out of a job on the 53-man roster come next Tuesday.
Cowboys 53-man roster projection entering 2023 NFL preseason finale
It’s one of the best teams they’ve had in years.
Featured image via Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
