A look at some of the biggest winners and losers from the Cowboys' entire preseason stretch.
The Dallas Cowboys' second-half surge in Friday's preseason finale made it feel like they were trying to end a decades-long drought.
Well, not quite that drought. One that's even longer in time.
But after the New Orleans Saints escaped AT&T Stadium with a 27-24 win, Dallas missed out on its first undefeated preseason since 1985.
Even going into the 2026 season after a loss, there were performances from throughout the Cowboys' training camp and preseason that conveyed the team's ability to attack the other drought, the now 30-year absence of championship stakes that began after the Cowboys' Super Bowl win in 1996.
With second-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer and staff needing to cut the roster down to 53 by Sunday - and before the Sept. 13 opener in the Meadowlands against the rival New York Giants - we go through some standout winners and losers from the preseason as a whole.
Winners: Both Backup Quarterbacks
The competition between Joe Milton and Sam Howell was the closest of the offseason, and both backups proved their case multiple times for why the Cowboys could go into next week with three quarterbacks on the roster.
Howell, who seemed to have a backseat to Milton after two preseason games, pulled out a memorable showing on Friday. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His powerful charge into the end zone for a two-point conversion tied the game at 24 apiece in the fourth quarter.
Milton wasn't as sharp as he'd been earlier, but the gifts are still obvious. In the end, both QBs showed that Cowboys Nation has reason to remain confident if Dak Prescott were to go down. ... and maybe Dallas keeps all three.
Schottenheimer said the battle is “neck and neck.”
Added owner Jerry Jones: “That's one that we may just split the difference and have two backup quarterbacks here.”
Loser: Caelen Carson
The young cornerback fell victim to the penalty bug again this preseason against the Saints. He committed an illegal contact penalty in the red zone that gave New Orleans a first down, and with four penalties in total this preseason, his spot as a second-stringer is no longer guaranteed.
Carson, a fifth-rounder from just two years ago who has also missed chunks of time with injury, is battling for snaps with DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant, Shavon Revel Jr., and rookie Devin Moore, who held his own as a starter in the preseason finale.
Winner: Camden Brown
Cowboys fans will storm The Star with pitchforks ablaze if Brown is left off the team's 53 ... and while similar instances of a breakout undrafted receiver becoming an unexpected addition have happened, this latest one makes too much sense.
Dallas sat CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo (one of the best receiver rooms in the NFL, we must add) in the preseason finale. If six is a target number for the group, there is nobody who matches Brown's showing this summer.
But if it's five? That's tight.
The Georgia Southern product hauled in two touchdowns in the opener in Seattle, and two more catches for 77 yards in Arizona. Against the Saints, he made a 27-yard grab.
Loser: The Cowboys' OT Depth
The starting tackles, Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele, have received criticism of their own, but Schottenheimer's concerns about the backup spots were evident this preseason.
Rookie Drew Shelton and former backup Nate Thomas started on Friday, and both struggled to stay low and avoid getting driven backwards. ... despite coach Brian Schottenheimer's flattering postgame words.
Schottenheimer recently raved about Guyton at left tackle, so there's that.
The Cowboys' interior depth is solidified with T.J. Bass, Nick Leverett and Trevor Keegan all being dependable as potential subs. Dallas may put Ajani Cornelius on IR and may need to look elsewhere to find that kind of reliability at tackle.
What about All-Pro guard Tyler Smith as a swing-tackle option?
Said Schottenheimer: "You'd rather not move two people, meaning you bump him out, you have to bump somebody in. I'd rather not do that ... that wouldn't be the first choice."
Winner: Jaydon Blue
Malik Davis was as solid as they come to start the preseason, which locked him in as at least one backup option to starting running back Javonte Williams.
The ex Texas Longhorns speedster Blue was not brought into the game on Friday, which could be a sign that he's "safe" as a fourth ball-carrier to make the roster, joining fullback Hunter Luepke.
Likely on the outside is Phil Mafah, Israel Abanikanda and Jashaun Corbin, who all got touches in Arlington.
Loser: Marist Liufau
The former linebacker reserve left the preseason finale in the first half with a wrist injury and did not return. Liufau had already moved into a crowded competition for the final outside linebacker/EDGE spots, and struggled with consistency as a result, this offseason.
The injury is unfortunate timing for his chance at making the initial 53, but his position often sees a flexible rotation beyond the first cut day, which is worth monitoring for players like Tyrus Wheat and Sam Williams.
We found out postgame that Liufau had suffered a broken forearm. He’ll have surgery on Monday and be out for weeks, which could allow the Cowboys to stash him on an injured list, keeping him in the building longer than others.
