The Dallas Cowboys didn't do themselves any favors in their Week 2 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but it might be time for one player to get the axe after another no-show.
The rise of seventh-round pick Phil Mafah has made it almost clear that he has a spot on this roster. The way Mafah moves for his thick frame shows that there should be a spot for him on the 53-man roster.
The first week of preseason didn't go well for anyone, but Brian Schottenheimer has made it almost pretty clear as to how he feels about Vaughn's playing time. Schottenheimer's pass-heavy scheme spells disaster for Vaughn as it is, but Vaughn hasn't done himself too many favors since entering preseason play.
The Cowboys may soon give Deuce Vaughn the axe
Schottenheimer mixed it with five different running backs getting a touch in the rushing game, and while it could just be another sign of uncertainty at the position, Vaughn hasn't been standing out when we compare him to his other peers. Vaughn had just five carries for 11 yards and one catch for seven yards.
Even Malik Davis and Mafah got more touches than Vaughn last week against the Los Angeles Rams, and that already spelled disaster for the former Kansas State Wildcat. With the RB room already packed as it is, Vaughn just looks like he's slipping while the newcomers are rising ahead of him.
Drafting Jaydon Blue in the fifth round of the draft already looks like a steal, and he looks more NFL-ready than Vaughn did when comparing their respective campaigns.
Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders look like the obvious starting backs, and Hunter Luepke has embraced a blocking role that Schottenheimer knows very well. There are just too many names for Vaughn to compete with, and he hasn't done much this preseason.
Vaughn's potential departure would not be easy, however. Fans remember the emotional moment when Vaughn's father, Chris Vaughn, was on the call when Jerry Jones drafted him. It was one of the more heartwarming stories in the 2023 NFL Draft, but it might be time for him and the Cowboys to move on, respectively.