3 Cowboys players whose stock is plummeting after preseason opener

The Dallas Cowboys were finally back in action in Week 1 of preseason. Dallas was locked in a close battle with the Los Angeles Rams for most of the game. Neither team could reach the end zone until the final minute, which ended up being the Rams. Despite grabbing four interceptions, Stetson Bennett redeemed himself finding Miller Forristall for the winning score in the final seconds.

It is only preseason so close, last-second losses do not sting that much, if at all. However, not only did the Cowboys lose but some players who hit the field did as well. While defensively Mike Zimmer's defense picked off passes left and right all day, the offense led by Trey Lance for most of the day had some good but a lot of bad.

These three players' stock is plummeting after this week and some, if not all of them could be off the roster sooner than they expected.

3 Cowboys with plummeting stock after Week 1 of preseason

3. CB Josh Butler

The Cowboys' defensive backs came to play all game will four interceptions but it should have been five. On the Rams final drive, Bennett threw what appeared to be the game-losing interception to Emany Johnson. Unfortunately, Josh Butler was called for a defensive holding penalty that kept the drive going. The Rams drove the rest of the field for the winning touchdown. It only added more to what had already been a frustrating day for him.

Butler had five tackles and two passes defended, but was picked on quite a bit in the final quarter. He got beat pretty easily on out routes that were there for Bennett to complete most of the day. While other defensive backs had their struggles despite the four-interception day, Butler's costly penalty will surely be brought up by defensive backs coach Al Harris when the team looks at film from this game.

It may only be a preseason, but a player on the edge of the roster committing a penalty that costs the team the game does not do him any favors. Unless Butler shows he can be something more than possibly the fifth or sixth corner on this team with a loaded defensive backs room, his stock will continue to trend down.

2. RB Malik Davis

The Cowboys' running game is still suspect. Obviously Ezekiel Elliott will not be playing this preseason and Sunday's game only saw Rico Dowdle have three carries for 14 yards. Malik Davis was given plenty of playing time, but did little to help his cause. Davis has been with Dallas for a few years and even appeared late in the regular season in 2022, but his time might be up if he cannot show more than what he did against the Rams.

Davis carried the ball eight times, the most of every back who took the field, but only managed 18 yards with 2.3 yards per carry. While the backup offensive linemen should share some of the blame, running backs need to make their own yards and Davis failed to show any of that this past Sunday.

Some believed coming into camp that he could still be the third running back behind Elliott and Dowdle, but a performance like that will not keep him here much longer. While Snoop Conner and Nathaniel Peat did not impress either, Davis has more experience and at this point of his career, he needs to catch on or he will be looking for a new team or even new league. His stock is plummeting in the team's running back room heading into week two of the preseason.

1. WR Ryan Flournoy

Ryan Flournoy entered training camp as a bit of a fan favorite. He was the team's sixth-round selection this year but his career got off on the wrong foot. He missed the first few padded practices due to a knee injury. For a sixth round pick looking to make an impact, that is not an ideal start. With CeeDee Lamb still holding out and "no urgency" from Jerry Jones to make a deal, many looked at Flournoy as one of the receivers to not only make the 53-man roster, but potentially be the fourth or fifth receiver.

Flournoy's preseason debut did not help plead his case. He was targeted three times and caught two balls for eight yards. Unfortunately, he had a bad dropped pass late in the second quarter that stalled a promising drive. That was much of the story for the offense all game as the team could manage nothing but field goals from Brandon Aubrey.

Had Flournoy made the catch it could have kept the momentum going and given Lance more confidence. That was not the end of Fournoy's bad day, however, as he fumbled the ball in the third quarter but fortunately it went out of bounds. Overall, the late-round pick has to show a lot more in these next two games to earn a spot on this team in a crowded wide receiver room.

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