(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)
Correct me if I am wrong, but I feel 95 percent of this roster is set. So in your opinion, who needs to play their way onto the team this preseason? Who will you be watching in these games? –Nathan Mattison**/Glen Falls, NY
Nick: First of all, 95 percent seems a little bit high. That would suggest that 50 spots are locked in, with only three remaining to fill. With two more weeks of camp to go and three preseason games to play, so much will change to affect all of the numbers.
I would say maybe 40 to 45 are locked in, and that's mainly because of contracts. After that, there's about 10 spots open. Saying that, there are some rookies who can make a difference. The big one for me is Phil Mafah at running back. He would seem to be on the outside looking in, but something tells me he's going to run really well in the preseason games. If he does that, he'll be hard to get on the practice squad.
Mafah is someone I'm looking at on offense. On defense, someone like Kemon Hall, or linebacker Justin Barron are some young guys who can help themselves in the preseason games.
Patrik: Whoa, how'd you get to 95 percent of the roster being set? There's far too much to sort through at positions like running back, cornerback and defensive tackle to be confident about who stays and who goes ahead of the preseason debut; and we have to factor in current and potential injury situations A lot of fringe players are making noise at key positions of need, e.g., Kemon Hall and Troy Pride at cornerback, and can Deuce Vaughn return from his hamstring injury, and Miles Sanders from his knee soreness, to hold off JaVonte Williams and a surging Jaydon Blue?
These questions, and so many more, have to be sorted out over the next three games and the Cowboys are nowhere near having things 95 percent sorted out in early August (that amounts to 50 spots solidified, in your projection). I agree the majority is solidified, but let's see who can become a preseason star that makes everything up in the air.
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