INGLEWOOD, Calif. 鈥 In the preseason, the actual plays don't seem to matter as much, especially considering the outcome of the game isn't always the most important aspect of the day.
Still, there are always a few plays and moments that get unnoticed that might tell a story for the big picture.
Basic kicks? 鈥 Whatever special teams coordinator John Fassel has up his sleeve regarding the new kickoff rule, it doesn't seem like he's going to show it anytime soon. In his chances to kick off to the Rams, Brandon Aubrey either kicked it out of the end zone or to the goal line, resulting in minimal returns. It sounds as if Fassel has a few different types of kicks he'll use this season, but it's not going to be seen in the preseason.
Finding Hunter - On two occasions during camp, owner/GM Jerry Jones has mentioned his "fullback" having a big role in the offense, referring to Hunter Luepke. But on Sunday, Luepke actually lined up twice on the line of scrimmage to start the game, looking more like a tight end. The Cowboys actually had some success running it, gaining 12 yards from Rico Dowlde on the first two plays. On the third play, Luepke was a fullback and helped in pass protection on a 43-yard pass to Jalen Brooks. Hunter might be morphing into more of an H-back role.
Ringing the Bell 鈥 A player that hasn't been talked about a lot so far in camp is Bell, who is actually moving back from linebacker last seaosn to safety, a position he played in 2022. In his first two drives, Bell showed up in a major way. He had two tackles and snuffed out a screen pass on the first drive, which ended with an incomplete pass that nearly was picked off by Bell in the end zone. On the second drive, Bell had no choice but to pick off a pass that was thrown right to him. Bell did not have an interception in either of his first two pro seasons.
What's Left? 鈥 The plan at left tackle was supposed to be Chuma Edoga for the first quarter and rookie Tyler Guyton to get extensive work for the next two quarters. However, a foot/toe injury for Edoga on the first drive forced his early exit. Guyton was able to fill in on the next drive but he only played one series in the first half. He did get a few more reps in the second half and was impressive at times in his ability to move people. Let's not forget Guyton missed nearly a week of practice with an illness. The warm temps on the field, plus the injury to Edoga, kept Guyton from getting even more reps.
Young TE watch 鈥 The Cowboys were extremely excited about rookie tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford after the draft, pinpointing him as one of the top undrafted rookies to sign. In his first game, Spann-Ford didn't disappoint. He not only served as a blocker on the line of scrimmage, he also caught two passes for 12 yards. And last year, they had the same excitement for John Stephens, who missed the season with an ACL injury. Stephens had three catches for 19 yards.
