Due to a rash of injuries suffered in their preseason home opener last Saturday against the Bengals, the Cowboys are expected to rest Quarterback Dak Prescott and Running Back Ezekiel Elliott against the Cardinals tomorrow.
This the third preseason exhibition for the Cowboys, it's unusual to see them get away from the almost league-wide “dress rehearsal” plan for this Sunday Night Football match up. Instead of giving their key starters a final tune up for the regular season, the Cowboys are taking the safe approach in not playing Prescott or Elliott in the absences of Center Travis Frederick and Right Guard Zack Martin.
Joe Looney is expected to start at center, with Kadeem Edwards continuing to work with the first team in practice for Martin.
There is still a possibility that both All-Pro linemen will play week one in Carolina, justifying the Cowboys waiting game to play at full strength on offense. The Cowboys remaining eight quarters of preseason football are still meaningful for plenty of roster bubble players though.
Things become even more complicated when considering who could join Prescott on the Cowboys list of protected players for this game and next week at Houston, particularly fellow quarterback Mike White.
The rookie is an ideal practice squad candidate, and though the Cowboys aren't used to the situation they're currently in, they are known for stashing players on the PS by first “hiding” them in the preseason.
Already asked to play behind the Cowboys backup offensive line for much of the preseason, White may embrace the Cowboys breaking out the bubble wrap for their fifth round pick – but is this a feasible option?
As mentioned, the Cowboys do have to navigate two more preseason games whether they like it or not. Subjecting hopeful, second-year backup Cooper Rush to all eight quarters of action, while White's (14-27, 182 yards, 1 TD through two games) progress is halted could send the wrong message to this entire Cowboys team.
White's biggest issue in game action has been holding onto the ball too long, a potential recipe for disaster as the Cowboys shuffle their line with him under center.
It's obviously not only the quarterbacks room that has players fighting for positioning while being inconvenienced by the team's injuries up front. Running backs Darius Jackson and Bo Scarbrough are still looking to fill the RB3 spot, Tight End Rico Gathers is still hoping to make an impact, and too many wide receivers to name are in need of a defining moment over these next two weeks.
Lance Lenoir and Deonte Thompson will be the first to tell anyone that they don't care who they're catching passes from these next two games, but do both need fair opportunities to make an impact as candidates for the final 53-man roster.
All of this is further confirmation that the Cowboys offensive line is the engine to this team. Even without running as smoothly as possible, the Cowboys quarterbacks must be up to the challenge of driving the offense through Sunday's action and then some.
In all likelihood this means that both Rush and White will split snaps again, with Rush truly earning the backup QB job this year by holding off White. Whether or not this allows the Cowboys to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, with White ticketed for the practice squad, could be the most noticeable fallout from this predicament at OL.
Sure, the Cowboys may consider this a win if Dak, Zeke, Martin, and Frederick are helping the Cowboys move the ball against the Panthers on September 9th. For a team that drafted starting Left Guard Connor Williams in the second round, and didn't address their backup positions here later in the draft, a fifth round pick spent on a lost cause at QB would still be disappointing.
So too would be a decline in Rush's level of play, which is something the Cowboys are subjecting themselves to if they go through with playing him for all of Sunday's game behind this patchwork front – only to turn around and do it again a week later.
