Mailbag: Who is battling for final roster spots?

(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)

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? – Anthony Taylor/*Fort Worth*, TX

Patrik: This might be one of the most difficult cutdowns in recent memory for Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys. Of course, the majority of the roster is something most people can predict well ahead of time. That said, I don't think it's as much as most my think. Schottenheimer says pump the brakes on crowning Joe Milton over Sam Howell, so will Dallas carry three QBs? Or can Milton push Howell out in the preseason finale??

Those are the types of questions Dallas is facing. They still need to figure out if Hunter Luepke is more valuable to them than, say, Phil Mafah or Israel Abanikanda. Has Ameer Speed shown enough to make them comfortable with risking Caelen Carson to waivers, or vice versa? And then there's linebacker, where I feel Justin Barron needs to make this team, but will they run short at another position to run long at LB? Camden Brown wants in, but Jonathan Mingo isn't an easy out, either.

A lot will come down to who shows up and who doesn't this Friday against the Saints, because there are more players

Nick: Unless you're a kicker, punter or deep snapper, I would imagine just about everyone who is in uniform and on the field for Friday's game is in some kind of battle.

Maybe it's not just a battle for roster spots as the question suggests, but it could be a battle on the depth chart, which would result in the players being active or inactive for every game.

And in some cases, there are guys who are not going to make the team but a great play or two in the game Friday night could land them on a spot on the practice squad. One way or another, the game is meaningful to the ones on the field.

Now, to name some of those guys ... I think it has to start at the skill positions. Quarterback is interesting because Joe Milton has done enough to be the backup but now you wonder if Sam Howell and his contract situation is going to land him a spot as No. 3. If that happens, the Cowboys must go short elsewhere. But then again, there's six receivers who need to make the team so does Jonathan Mingo get left out? What about Anthony Smith. Notice, I'm not mentioning Camden Brown because the Cowboys would be insane to cut him and try to get him on the practice squad. Then there's running back. I think Jaydon Blue makes the team but Phil Mafah is going to be an interesting one. Maybe they keep Mafah over Malik Davis, who I think is the No. 2 back on this team.

That's just three positions right there but every spot seems to have a few either/or scenarios. Other guys I'll be watching are Curtis Robinson, Justin Barron, Ameer Speed, Alijah Clark and Julius Wood, if he ends up playing.