The Dallas Cowboys have now lost sevens straight preseason openers following their 32-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. Of course, final scores means next to nothing in the preseason, but fans would have liked to see a better showing from Dallas amidst a physical training camp.
While most of the game was a rough watch, a number of player fighting tooth and nail for a roster spot showed out, including rookie running back Phil Mafah and undrafted defensive back Zion Childress.
The defensive line as a collective didn't perform well, but Perrion Winfrey was a clear exception. Signed in June following mandatory minicamp, Winfrey might already be on the fast track to locking up a roster spot.
Perrion Winfrey should absolutely make the Cowboys' 53-man roster
In a game where the Cowboys' interior defensive line struggled to generate pressure and establish leverage against the run, Winfrey flashed in both departments. He only finished with a half-tackle in the box score, but stat lines rarely tell the full story of an IDL's performance.
Winfrey had one pass-rushing rep where he threw his assignment into Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett's lap. Bennett completed the pass anyway, but Winfrey did his job, which is all you can ask.
It's become clear that Matt Eberflus wants his defensive tackles to be able to get upfield and help defend the run. Winfrey has checked both boxes over his first two months with the team.
That isn't to say Winfrey wreaked havoc all game, but he didn't need multiple sacks to put himself in a good position to make the roster.
At this point, the Cowboys just need competent DT play behind Osa Odighizuwa. Winfrey has provided exactly that throughout training camp. He is just a few days removed from a head-turning outing in Tuesday's joint practice against the Rams.
On an afternoon where former first-round pick Mazi Smith and promising seventh-round rookie Jay Toia struggled to leave a mark, Winfrey did so on multiple occasions.
The Cowboys should definitely look into bringing in a veteran defensive tackle but that shouldn't have any bearing on Winfrey's roster odds. He has simply been that good since signing in early June.