4 Cowboys Who Could Be Playing Their Final Game With the Franchise

Friday is the preseason finale for the Dallas Cowboys as they will take on the New Orleans Saints. There will be plenty of storylines to follow, especially after the two teams were unable to stop fighting when they had a joint practice during training camp.

Outside of the potential for another WWE-style brawl, players on both sides will be fighting for their spots on the initial 53-man roster. Each team is expected to give their reserves plenty of time on the field as they look to prove themselves.

For the Cowboys, the following four players are likely on the bubble and could be suiting up for America's Team for the final time on Friday night.

Sam Williams, EDGE

Dallas Cowboys EDGE Sam Williams at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sam Williams was a second-round pick in 2022 and had 8.5 sacks over his first two seasons in the league. He entered 2024 ready for a larger role in the defense, but a torn ACL suffered during training camp put an end to his season before it began.

Williams returned in 2025 and while he had a career-high with 37 tackles, he recorded just one sack. He returned to Dallas on a one-year deal this offseason and is fighting for a spot at a crowded position. The Cowboys have Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Malachi Lawrence, and Von Miller locked in. There's also Justin Houston, who had 5.5 sacks in 2025, and it would be a shocker to see him released.

This leaves Williams battling Marist Liufau for the final spot and with Liufau's work on special teams, Williams could be in trouble.

Marist Liufau, EDGE

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

Speaking of Liufau, he too is someone who could be in danger of losing his spot after this game. The good news for him is that he is a core special teams player, but there's also something in his skill set that made Christian Parker excited to move him to edge. It's not unrealistic to think Parker would be willing to work with him for a full season to see if he could unlock his potential. It's also possible that he didn't do enough to warrant a spot and could be looking for a new home before Week 1.

Luke Schoonmaker, TE

Dallas Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Michael Trigg was dealing with an injury over the last week, which seemingly opened the door for Luke Schoonmaker to reclaim his spot in the tight end corps. That might have changed again, however, now that Trigg is back.

Schoonmaker has yet to live up to his second-round status and has fallen behind Brevyn Spann-Ford as the No. 2 tight end. Trigg's upside is enough that Schoonmaker could be entering his last game with Dallas.

Caelen Carson, CB

Dallas Cowboys CB Caelen Carson goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cowboys didn't overhaul the cornerback position the way many expected, but they did enough to put Caelen Carson on notice. The 2024 fifth-round pick has flashed plenty of potential, but hasn't put it all together just yet. He might not get a chance to in Dallas, with DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel, Cobie Durant, Devin Moore, and Derion Kendrick all on the roster.

Throw in Caleb Downs as their primary nickel and the numbers might not be in Carson's favor. The Cowboys would likely want him back on the practice squad if he were released, but Carson has been good enough for another team to make a claim.

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