3 Cowboys who can secure 53-man roster spot with strong preseason finale

2. Josh Ball

Many Cowboys fans will never root for Josh Ball the person given his history of alleged physical abuse, but the player has performed well in preseason. In fact, he's likely already trending toward making the final roster considering how shaky Dallas' backup offensive linemen have performed.

That said, Ball can lock up a roster spot if he performs well in the preseason finale against the Raiders.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ball was Dallas' highest-graded offensive linemen against the Seahawks with a 78.3 player grade. He also led the way in pass protection (86.5 grade) and as a run-blocker (71.7 grade). The former fourth-round pick allowed zero pressures despite logging the fourth-most pass block snaps.

It was a needed rebound performance from Ball, who looks more and more like the team's backup swing guard. Moving from tackle to guard has worked wonders for Ball, who might finally be figuring it out ahead of his third season.

Not only is Ball in a position to make the 53-man roster, but he could have a significant role on a slender Cowboys offensive line in 2023.