The Dallas Cowboys close out their preseason Friday night against the New Orleans Saints, and while most of the 53-man roster feels locked in, several roster battles and key storylines remain unresolved.

From the backup quarterback competition between Sam Howell and Joe Milton to the tight end depth chart and the final outside linebacker spot, Friday’s game carries real weight for players on the bubble. Let’s break down the things you should be looking out for tonight. 

Who starts at quarterback?

This is the top storyline entering the game. The Cowboys allowed Howell to get the start in the preseason opener because, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, he entered camp “a little bit ahead” of Milton in the backup competition. Since then, though, Milton has looked better on game day, including a strong second half against the Seattle Seahawks. In the second preseason game, the roles flipped. Dallas started Milton, and he delivered.

Through two games, Milton has 3 passing touchdowns and a 75% completion rate. He looks calm, collected, and accurate, despite accuracy being his biggest pre-camp concern. Schottenheimer has yet to announce a starter for Friday, and he has yet to publicly declare Milton the No. 2 behind Dak Prescott.

I want to see if Howell gets the start again, or if the Cowboys sit Milton entirely because they believe he’s the clear-cut backup (which I think he is). But this isn’t all about Milton vs. Howell. The latter’s performance could determine whether Dallas carries two quarterbacks or three on the 53-man roster. I do believe Milton is ahead right now based on what we’ve seen, but Schottenheimer’s public stance keeps the door open.

Who joins the ball cap club?

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson coined the term “ball cap club” for healthy players sitting out preseason games because their roster spots are safe. Ferguson used it when the Cowboys sat Brevyn Spann-Ford for the opener, essentially confirming Spann-Ford as the No. 2 tight end.

I want to see who joins that club Friday night. Three names I’m watching:

Shavon Revel Jr. has played limited snaps through two preseason games but made the most of them, recording an open-field tackle in zone coverage during the opener and an interception against the Arizona Cardinals in the second game. He even got the start in team drill periods during Thursday’s final practice of training camp. If Revel sits Friday, it will add fuel to the speculation about who starts at outside cornerback opposite DaRon Bland. Is it Cobie Durant or Revel?

Jaishawn Barham, the Cowboys rookie linebacker, had a fantastic game against the Cardinals and also earned a starting opportunity in Thursday’s practice. If Barham rests in the preseason finale, it would become very clear he has a chance to start earlier than expected in his career.

Another name is Luke Schoonmaker, who appears safe at tight end for now. Him joining the ball cap club Friday night would basically confirm it. Speaking of tight ends… 

Does Michael Trigg play, and can he force the Cowboys to carry 4 tight ends?

Schoonmaker sitting would tee up a massive opportunity for Trigg, who suffered a toe injury earlier in the preseason. Before getting hurt, Trigg was a standout in training camp and had a solid opener with 4 catches for 30 yards while blocking well (no small thing for the Cowboys coaching staff). Had he stayed healthy, he might have pushed Schoonmaker heading into roster cutdown day.

I don’t think Trigg pushes Schoonmaker off the roster now, but can he do enough to convince Dallas to carry four tight ends? The other tight ends currently on the roster are Zach Kuntz, who was brought in late, and Mitchell Van Vooren, who was added because of injuries at the position. If Trigg gets heavy playing time Friday and makes plays, it’s going to be tough to cut him.

The key detail: I thought Trigg might be an Injured Reserve candidate, but the Cowboys had him practice Thursday, opening the door for a Friday appearance. His game status alone will be revealing, and a strong performance could alter the roster plan at the last minute.

Sam Williams vs. Marist Liufau for the final outside linebacker spot

This is perhaps the biggest ongoing positional battle still unresolved. Williams and Liufau are fighting for what I believe will be the sixth and final outside linebacker spot on the roster.

Williams has been the better defender so far. Liufau has struggled to rush the passer. However, he has been a special teams contributor for the Cowboys and was Top 3 in special teams snap counts last year. That is his best path to making this team. On both defense and special teams Friday night, whoever makes the most plays likely wins the job.

Bonus: Can rookie WR Camden Brown seal a roster spot?

Listen, you might not like this but I think Brown cannot afford to have a bad game. The Cowboys might carry six wide receivers, which would mean keeping Jonathan Mingo and Brown at the bottom of the depth chart behind CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, and KaVontae Turpin. Mingo’s spot appears secured. Schottenheimer has spoken positively about him, and the team has liked what he’s done in both the preseason and training camp.

That means Brown, despite being an impressive rookie so far, is fighting for the sixth and final wide receiver spot—which is never a given. A bad game for any reason would open the door for the Cowboys to waive him. I think he’s been uncuttable based on his preseason body of work, and I would not understand why Dallas cuts him if they do. But it’s still a big question heading into Friday night.