RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 14: Marist Liufau #35 of the Dallas Cowboys lines up before the snap during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at AT&T Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a long offseason, the Dallas Cowboys are back in live game action. The Cowboys will travel to Seattle to play in the last game of the week, with all eyes on the initial rendition of the 2026 Dallas Cowboys. Thankfully, the approach so far has been all business with no contractual drama looming over the team. As a result, the team has been laser-focused and is coming off a stellar showing in practice against the Los Angeles Rams.
However, as Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson once said: “We’re talking about practice”. The preseason game is far from meaningless. For some players, they need to use Saturday’s game to stand out from the crowd in hopes of making the team, but who are those players? Who needs to have a big preseason game?
Traeshon Holden
Should the Cowboys go long at the wide receiver spot, Traeshon Holden has a chance to make the team. This year he’s battling with more veteran competition such as the likes of Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Denzel Mims. Plus, He’s competing with a draft pick in seventh-rounder Anthony Smith and UDFA Camden Brown.
That said, the summertime spotlight isn’t anything new to him. He was a standout performer last season during the preseason, which allowed him to hang around on the practice squad. A strong game versus Seattle reminds everyone of who he is and what he’s capable of when the lights are on. He’s had a quiet training camp, and a big game against Seattle will thrust him back into the conversation.
Drew Shelton
Things have not gone smoothly for Drew Shelton to start off his rookie season. He has struggled at times in pass protection, and has shown that he is a project player. He’s not in danger of being cut, the potential and tools are there, and his status as a fourth-round pick practically ensures that he will be on the team.
We should expect to see him play substantially against Seattle while Dallas figures out their reserve rotation. Nate Thomas also hasn’t had a very good outings either, drawing the competition closer within Shelton’s reach. The team added the well-traveled Sebastian Gutierrez to compete for the swing tackle position. If Shelton can put together a solid outing, it would push him ahead of Thomas and he could gain some footing in the coming weeks for the battle at swing tackle.
Jay Toia
Currently, Otito Ogbonnia is slated to be the team’s primary nose tackle in their 3-4 front. However, behind him is Jay Toia. Toia didn’t have a particularly good rookie season and was primarily counted on to step in to support the run defense. Fast forward to this year, and Toia hasn’t made much of an impact.
At this point, he’s very much replaceable, and the other options behind him aren’t that far apart from him right now. Kelvin Gilliam has flashed a few times during practices and will also see a large chunk of action Saturday. The time is now for Toia to show something or be on the hot seat.
With a front that features Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, the Cowboys won’t be as cavalier when it comes to nose tackle should something happen to Ogbonnia. Toia has to have a good game to give the team confidence that he can be relied upon in a crucial season for the team.
Marist Liufau
Marist Liufau has been dealt a tough hand. Going into the third year of his contract, he has been tasked with playing a new position and changing roles to an edge rusher in a 3-4 defense. Fortunately for him, he has been around the football and made a few plays at practices.
The team has also used that opportunity to move around formations and line him up in different spots. It’ll be exciting to see what the plan is for him during the game. There are questions that he needs to answer by playing well.
Among the questions, how much has he improved this offseason as an edge rusher? The interior linebacker spot has improved tremendously for the Cowboys, so there’s no real chance that he plays a big role in that spot. The edge rushers are solid for Dallas, but Liufau could elbow his way into the conversation with a sack or forced fumble coming off the edge. He’s one of the most intriguing storylines for Saturday night.
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