4 Dallas Cowboys Climbing the Depth Chart Following Joint Practice With Rams

Following a scrimmage with the Rams, these four Dallas Cowboys are making a case to climb the depth chart.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Justin Barron goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tuesday was a big day for the Dallas Cowboys as they took on the Los Angeles Rams in a joint practice. It was a great opportunity for the coaching staff to see how their players performed against another team, and they came out of this one looking strong.

The big story was the defense, which was able to hold their own against the high-powered Rams. That's a major win considering how mismatched they were a year ago. Offensively, there were several standouts as well, which isn't surprising given how impressive they were on this side of the ball in 2025.

With the practice behind them, let's identify four Cowboys who are climbing up the depth chart.

Dee Winters, LB

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dee Winters goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dee Winters was added in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers during the draft, and was penciled in as a starter next to DeMarvion Overshown. In recent weeks, Winters has been somewhat forgotten thanks to the explosion of rookie third-round pick Jaishawn Barham.

Against the Rams, Winters showed why Dallas made the move to bring him in this offseason. He was one of the better defenders on the field, making plays against the run and in pass coverage. Barham might be the future at the position, but Winters proved he might still be the more consistent starter right now.

Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE

Dallas Cowboys tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford catches the ball at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Third-year tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford has made a name for himself as a blocker, but his pass-catching has been vastly improved during camp. On Tuesday, he took another step forward by hauling in a touchdown pass in the red zone. Spann-Ford could be securing his spot as the TE2, which also puts Luke Schoonmaker on the bubble.

Justin Barron, LB

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Justin Barron on the field during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Undrafted out of Syracuse in 2025, Justin Barron made waves as a converted safety who moved to linebacker. His coverage skills made him an intriguing option, but he became a forgotten man after playing just 30 snaps on special teams as a rookie.

On Tuesday, he reminded us all why we paid attention last year as he recorded three interceptions against the Rams. He also made several stops against the run, which could help him fight for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Marist Liufau, EDGE

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's hard to find anyone on the roster, other than maybe Jaishawn Barham, who has seen their stock increase more during training camp than Marist Liufau.

When it was initially announced that Liufau would move to the edge, there was speculation that he wouldn't make the initial 53-man roster. Now as they approach Week 1 of the preseason, Liufau is steadily climbing the depth chart. He has been a standout during practices and his hard work carried over to their joint practice with the Rams. The numbers could still hurt Liufau during final cuts, but he's going to make it hard to release him.

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