The Dallas Cowboys have officially finished off the 2025 preseason with a strong victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
Once again, the Cowboys’ coaching staff chose to rest the team’s expected starting unit, providing many of the fringe roster players the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on the field.
While these games do not matter for the Cowboys’ official record, there are still meaningful aspects of each preseason game that the team can carry into the regular season.
Here are three major takeaways from the Cowboys’ final preseason matchup:
Joe Milton Solidifies Roster Spot
Dallas entered the offseason with a major need at backup quarterback following the departure of Trey Lance.
The Cowboys quickly silenced many of those concerns after trading draft capital in exchange for Milton, who entered the franchise as one of the most athletic players in the entire league.
However, Milton struggled to find a rhythm during his first two appearances in the preseason, with Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer saying he wanted to “find out more about” the quarterback in the preseason finale, per CBS Sports.
These comments were followed up by Milton putting on an incredibly solid performance in the victory despite a pedestrian stat line, as the second-year quarterback finished with 165 total yards and two total touchdowns.
Milton also demonstrated many of the skills that make him an intriguing quarterback prospect, as his rushing ability and strong arm were on full display throughout this matchup.
This late preseason performance, combined with the Cowboys’ investment of draft capital, should solidify Milton’s spot on the 53-man roster.
Rookie Running Backs Show Promise
Entering the offseason, the running back position stood out as the biggest need for the Cowboys, prompting the team to completely revamp the unit.
This running back room shakeup consisted of the team adding two free agents in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, while also selecting Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah in the NFL Draft.
Although many expect Williams and Sanders to begin the season with the starting roles, the preseason performances by the rookies could quickly propel them into the regular season game plans.
During the Cowboys’ preseason finale, Blue managed to collect 25 yards and one touchdown in nine carries.
These numbers may not stand out, but the rookie running back displayed solid contact balance and an impressive ability to read the field and hit gaps when given the ball.
Similarly, Mafah put on a strong performance despite receiving just two carries, contributing 16 yards and one touchdown in the victory.
Mafah showed impressive strength and vision during his runs, with the rookie displaying potential as a goal-line running back.
Meanwhile, Williams did not play a single snap during the offseason as the Cowboys’ coaching staff opted against playing the vast majority of starters. In contrast, Sanders played in just one preseason matchup due to injuries and struggled while on the field.
Sanders’ struggles when on the field and inability to remain healthy could be his demise, with The Dallas Express recently predicting that Mafah will be selected for the 53-man roster ahead of the veteran running back.
Williams remains incredibly likely to open the season as the team’s lead back, but there is the potential that the two rookies could quickly eat into his overall snap count.
Defensive Line Captures Roster Spots
The final takeaway from the Cowboys’ preseason finale is the depth of the defensive end unit, as multiple players seemingly solidified their spots on the team’s 53-man roster.
The biggest standout from this unit was James Houston, who entered training camp as a fringe roster player but has seemingly claimed a spot on the 53-man group.
Houston consistently shone throughout the preseason after signing a one-year deal with the Cowboys at the end of July.
This play was capped off by a three-tackle, one sack performance against the Falcons in the preseason finale, displaying many of the traits that helped him put together a solid start to his career before suffering various injuries.
Despite entering the season as a fringe roster player, The Dallas Express now predicts that Houston will be one of the team’s defensive ends to open the regular season.
Similarly, Cowboys defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey put together yet another strong performance in the preseason, with the former fourth-round draft selection now having a chance to make the 53-man roster.
Winfrey collected four total tackles and one sack against the Falcons to finish the preseason while showing an ability to be on the field during both pass and run defensive sets.
This performance ended an impressive preseason for Winfrey, with his abilities potentially helping him to make the eventual gameday roster.
Although Dallas still has needs at the defensive tackle position, specifically for players who are above average at run defense, Winfrey can help to step in and be one of the Cowboys’ better-performing players at the position.
The possibility that Dallas could keep both Houston and Winfrey on the 53-man roster could create some difficult decisions for the team once roster cutdowns take place, but both players have shown enough to at least be considered for spots on the team.