Say what you will about the preseason not meaning a darn thing, but would you rather the Dallas Cowboys get their doors blown off than the other way around? We didn't think so.
We learned a lot in Saturday's 34-13 win in Arizona. Joe Milton took a decisive lead in the backup quarterback battle, and Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue both made statements in the running back competition.
A host of players all but clinched spots on the 53-man roster, but it's time to shine the spotlight on some underachievers who are now on thin ice -- and one overachiever who's suddenly emerging as a possible trade candidate.
2 Cowboys on thin ice after preseason win over the Cardinals
1. Phil Mafah - RB
Saturday was circled as a massive opportunity for Mafah, who only received four carries in the opener before a chest injury knocked him out for the rest of the game. He returned to practice last week, and all signs seemed to point toward an increased workload.
To the surprise of just about everyone, Mafah didn't enter until the fourth quarter. Malik Davis got the start, Jaydon Blue subbed in next, and got 15 carries before Israel Abanikanda took over late in the third quarter.
Mafah was the third RB off the bench, making him fourth in the pecking order. He only played one snap, and it was a crafty 15-yard touchdown run on which he reversed fields, followed some good blocking, and outran a handful of Cardinals defenders to the end zone.
It was a reminder of what Mafah brings to the table, but it's pretty damning that he only played one snap in a game where Blue (15) and Abanikanda (8) totaled 22 carries. He's skating on thin ice with the roster deadline approaching this Sunday.
2. Reddy Steward - CB
To say it's difficult to predict how the cornerback room will shake out behind DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel, Cobie Durant, and Caleb Downs would be an understatement.
A lot of Cowboys fans would like to see Steward make the team. He's one of the few cornerbacks on the roster who can line up in the slot, and he's not afraid to fill gaps against the run or meet ball-carriers in the open field. He brings an edge that not many cornerbacks have.
However, Steward was still on the field, not just in the fourth quarter, but for the final drive of the game. Much like Mafah not checking in until the fourth and only playing one snap, that's an ominous sign for Steward's roster outlook.
The coaching staff likely wanted an extended look at Steward after he logged just five coverage snaps in the opener. That might explain his heavy workload on Saturday, but no matter how you slice it, seeing a roster hopeful play deep into the fourth quarter is rarely a good omen.
Could Jonathan Mingo become a Cowboys trade candidate?
On to more positive things, how about Jonathan Mingo?
The fourth-year wideout had the biggest play of the night for Dallas, catching a go ball from Joe Milton for a 53-yard touchdown in the first quarter. His other reception was a tough catch in traffic, continuing a trend that he's established throughout the summer.
Mingo has also lined up as a punt returner this preseason. Both of his opportunities resulted in fair catches. Could he be the No. 2 behind KaVontae Turpin?
That would make it difficult to cut or trade him, but his trade value may never climb higher than it is right now.
With Camden Brown emerging as a legit playmaker, the Cowboys can afford to offload Mingo. A slew of teams around the NFL could use receiver depth, and this version of Mingo could absolutely be someone's WR3.
In Dallas, he'd be buried as WR5 or 6, so most of his playing time would come on special teams. There's obviously value in that, and Mingo is more polished in that area than Brown.
Keeping six wideouts obviously rewrites the math, but if this boils down to Mingo versus Brown, a Mingo trade becomes the logical move. Brown has flashed too much potential in camp to end up on the waiver wire just because he got caught in a numbers crunch. It's safe to say that Mingo doesn't have a future here.
Don't be surprised if Mingo's name starts floating around trade discussions. Even if Dallas decides to stay put, his solid tape this summer has put him in that sweet spot where wideout-needy teams start sniffing around.
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