Cowboys Mailbag:Mick's Mail: 07/27

Any surprises for you with the final cuts, whether it was a guy making the team or being left off?

I'm assuming by now the final roster has pretty much been determined. But who do you think really needs to show something in this last preseason game to get one of those final spots?

I have concerns about DeMarvion Overshown at middle linebacker. Love the guy, but he seems built to play the Will or Edge. So do you think rookie Jaishawn Barham has done enough to start at middle linebacker? He seems like a big hitter who is a better fit for the position.

From year to year, the wide receiver room depth usually depends on special teams. So if they decide to keep only five receivers on the roster, would you rather have KaVonte Turpin's return speed on special teams over Jonathan Mingo's or Camden Brown's size, pursuit and tackling? Why is Turpin considered such a lock? It seems like choosing a luxury over practicality.

Why are we not hearing much about Marist Liufau? I thought he played with an edge – quick, hungry and hard-hitting with intensity. Will there be a place for him on this defense?

As expected, the highest draft choices and incumbent starters get the bulk of the attention during this time of the year. But what about the progress thus far of some of the Cowboys' later draft picks, like Drew Shelton, Devin Moore, LT Overton and Anthony Smith?

We had two of the best defensive tackles in the league for most of last season in Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark and still had a porous run defense. Was it due more to the lack of linebackers coming up quickly to fill in holes rather than the defensive line play? Do you think there's going to be improvement there and with the run defense overall?

For the last two decades, the Cowboys have almost always believed in building through the draft, keeping homegrown talent and signing free agents as fillers. Now it seems like they've decided to be very aggressive in free agency. What has caused the change in philosophy?

For all the talk about what's been going on at left tackle, if the Cowboys want this offense to thrive with the weapons they have and keep Dak Prescott healthy, should they be considering another option at right tackle?

I am wondering why the Cowboys decided to sign Von Miller instead of Bobby Wagner? Not that I'm unhappy. I am just curious as to the decision-making process between the two.

What goals should the Cowboys players and coaches have for the first preseason game against the Seahawks? What do they need to accomplish? What do the coaches need to learn about the players?