High 5: Five players who made the team on Friday
(Editor's Note: Who doesn't love lists? Throughout training camp, 'High 5' will provide a top five list for many of the critical topics surrounding the Dallas Cowboys 2025 season.)
ARLINGTON, Texas - Some view it as their ramp-up to the regular season, others see it as their final opportunity to show they belong. Either way, the final preseason game is a stressful one for players and coaches and the regular season nears. Dallas won the game, securing a successful end to the preseason, 31-13 over the Falcons.
It also marks the end of a month-worth of preparation and evaluation for the front office. Meaning there are now some tough decisions to be made as the 53-man roster cut-down day arrives this Tuesday. Many players were battling to get into a favorable roster position; there were others fighting to keep their current position.
This is not necessarily a list of players who played their way into a roster spot on Friday against the Falcons, but rather those that locked it up by having a nice performance. These are the five players who took advantage of their final preseason snaps on the midst of some heated position battles.
Jaydon Blue - Entering the game, all the Cowboys coaching staff really needed to see was some solid game reps from Blue. Not necessarily to make the roster, but to earn some reps in the running back rotation for Week 1. It wasn't his biggest game statistically, with nine carries for 25 yards, but it was a solid game from a pass blocking standpoint. He also found the end zone during his limited red-zone touches, his first touchdown as a pro. Blue's position was never really in question throughout training camp despite missing time with an injury but just seeing him in limited action nearly wraps up his spot in the crowded running back room. However, one thing to note, he did leave the game with a lower body injury. That'll be worth monitoring if he is expected to miss multiple weeks.
Shemar James - The rookie out of Florida was already one of the stories of training camp. A fifth-round pick who earned some starting snaps on the defense by the start of padded practices in Oxnard. Then, his solid play all around in the preseason put him on the cusp of locking up a roster spot. In his final preseason game, James addressed two areas of concern in his skillset, coverage and special teams. He looked like a worthy special teams contributor with good positioning and a special teams tackle as well. Additionally, he capped his preseason with an interception that was returned for 11 yards in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Brooks - Every season that Brooks has been in the league, he has been in the final conversation for wide receivers on the roster. His special teams prowess and ability to catch the deep ball are what has kept him on the team over the last two years. This was a tough preseason for Brooks, battling through injuries from the first game against the Rams, to seeing other guys like Ryan Flournoy make play after play. But at the end of the preseason, he remained productive both on special teams and as a wide receiver, reeling in a touchdown pass from Joe Milton from 29 yards out. With the injury to Jonathan Mingo last week, it may allow for both Brooks and Flournoy to make the team after all. A sigh of relief for the third-year receiver that has plenty left to prove in Dallas.
Kemon Hall - The nickel spot has been a position of conversation throughout training camp, especially with the exit of Jourdan Lewis and multiple injuries in the secondary. Leaving the door open for players like Kemon Hall and Zion Childress. While there may still be a spot on the roster for Childress, who impressed as an undrafted rookie this offseason, Hall finished the preseason with the better performance. He appears to be the more polished player in coverage as he finished with three tackles, a pass breakup, and made an impact on special teams. Both guys stepped up in a cornerback room that needed it most, but as the preseason ends, Hall may have the edge.
Perrion Winfrey - Added to a thin defensive tackle room this offseason, Winfrey has always had a shot to make the team. He's had some ups and downs through his first camp with the Cowboys, but no one else around him has really stepped into the opening as well. He entered the final preseason game in a tough battle with Ernest Brown for a spot in the defensive rotation. Winfrey's third down sack in the third quarter and a crucial role in a fourth-quarter goal line stand may have been enough to seal the deal. And that was after the Dallas defense stuffed the Atlanta rushing attack in the first half to just 1.6 yards per carry.
