5 Cowboys position battles to watch during the 2022 preseason games

2. Trysten Hill vs Carlos Watkins, Defensive Tackle

Heading into this season, I had Watkins on the outside looking in for a chance to make this Cowboys roster. However, after training camp, he changed my mind.

Watkins has been a player on this roster who seems to always be battling to make the team and this season is no different. The player he’s battling has had issues in camp that could hold him back.

Hill was and still is a player that Dallas has had high hopes for after taking him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, injuries and maturity issues have derailed his progress and standing with the team over the past few seasons.

Now, fighting for what could be the final defensive tackle spot on the roster, both Hill and Watkins are going to have to be on their “A” games to separate themselves. One way to do that is to show how dominant they can be against the run, an aspect the Dallas defense struggled in last season.

We all know that the fastest way to prove yourself as a defensive lineman is to be effective in the running game, and while both have been decent at times, neither has been able to do it on a consistent basis. Right now, Watkins has the momentum, so it will be on Hill to make these coaches think long and hard about who they want to keep.