3 standouts (and 2 duds) from Cowboys loss to Jaguars

The first preseason game is in the books as the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars met for their first exhibition game of the 2023 campaign.

Jacksonville came into AT&T Stadium and found a way to pull off a 28-23 win in a game where reserves ruled the day for Dallas.

While it would have been nice to get a win, the importance of these preseason games goes beyond the score. Instead, what matters is how the players look as they prepare for the regular season and fight for the final spots on the roster.

Let's check in with the Cowboys players who are fighting for position within their team and highlight three standouts as well as two duds from Preseason Week 1.

Cowboys standout: Markquese Bell, Safety

Markquese Bell made it with the Cowboys a year ago as an undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M. He appeared in five games with just one tackle but was a preseason star that the coaching staff felt could develop into a solid player.

In 2023, he picked up where he left off.

Bell was flying all over the field and finished the day with a team-high 10 tackles and had a pass breakup as well against the Jaguars.

Dallas has a very talented safety corps with Malik Hooker, Jayron Kearse, and Donovan Wilson set as their primary starters. They also like Israel Mukuamu, who can also play in the slot.

That means it won't be easy for Bell to see snaps in the base defense barring an injury but he continues to prove the game isn't too big for him.