Cowboys stock up, stock down in 2021 preseason: Jaylon Smith among several sinking, Jabril Cox going up

Let's take a look at who in Dallas has seen their preseason stock move

The NFL preseason is all about one thing and one thing only: evaluation. Sure, wins are fun, but not if they come tied to injury at key positions and blah blah blah, you're smart enough to understand how August works. Getting back to the crux of it all, the Dallas Cowboys have been hairline deep (George Jefferson's) in player evaluations, having already trimmed the roster from 90 men last week down to the mandatory count of 85, and they'll now have to go to 80 this week before taking an ax to it ahead of the NFL deadline at the end of August -- slashing it to only 53.

With that goal in mind, it's not difficult to tell whose seen their stock move, be it up or down. With so many to keep an eye on, we'll focus on some of the more notable notables in this column, sticking to those who are either lost in the sauce or twirling the spaghetti noodles on their fork with ease. And since it's not always about the biggest names in the group, let's dive a bit deeper into the roster as well, to bring some deserving names -- for better or for worse -- to the forefront as the Cowboys ready for their preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Stock down: 

Jaylon Smith, LB

It's no secret the pressure mounting on Smith to take the next step in his career is mounting. OK, that's an understatement, because the pressure is actually enough to either turn coal into a diamond or into, well, a pile of crushed coal. It's not a contract year for Smith, per se, but it can be viewed as such -- thanks to the Cowboys decision to select Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox in the first and fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, respectively. Prior to that, they signed Keanu Neal to convert him to linebacker and then there's the fact Leighton Vander Esch is healthy, motivated and literally in a contract year; and you're starting to understand that Smith is not only facing the wrong side of the wall, but it gets worse for him when trying to justify his salary against how he might or might not be utilized in 2021. Parsons, Cox, Vander Esch and Neal have all flashed in camp and/or preseason (as has Luke Gifford, so pencil all of them as additional "stock up" guys on this list), while Smith looks like an understudy in Year 5.

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Ben DiNucci, QB

The question on if DiNucci is ready and capable of being a starting quarterback in the NFL  but the jury is out in if the Cowboys believe they can develop him into, at minimum, a capable backup. His three interceptions against the Texans effectively withdrew his bid for a shot at QB2 and has him relegated to a shot at landing on the team's 16-man practice squad, but even those odds can dwindle to near zero is he stinks up the joint yet again when he steps onto the field to close out the preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dak Prescott is slated to start in Week 1 and while DiNucci is moving in the wrong direction, Cooper Rush pushed his stock north against the Texans -- challenging Garrett Gilbert for the QB2 seat. All DiNucci can do now is somehow look great on Sunday and hope it's enough to woo the Cowboys into letting him land on the practice squad once he clears waivers (and he will).

Connor Williams, OL

Williams can thank both himself and the Cowboys for a drop in his stock to this point. After having established himself as a capable starting left guard in the NFL, the Cowboys saw fit to try him at center this offseason -- to very poor results. Williams is now becoming known for bad snaps and an overall inability to play in the middle of the offensive line, and this is made worse by a couple of things: 1. He could've been using the experimental time at center to improve further at left guard, and 2. Connor McGovern (who has played center before) could've proven a capable backup to center Tyler Biadasz if given the chance. Either way, Williams is heading into a contract year riding a low tide he's hoping will rise again beginning in September.

Simi Fehoko, WR

It's been an up-and-down August for Fehoko -- down as of late. The turbo-powered wideout was an intriguing grab by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he also joined a WR room that is absolutely stacked from floor to ceiling. That said, the onus is on him to carve a way onto the depth chart, and the penalties he put on film against the Texans won't help his case, nor will the fact the Cowboys seem reserved to continue allowing CeeDee Lamb to participate in the return game. Cedrick Wilson Jr. continues to impress and Noah Brown is reminding the team why they re-signed him this offseason. With camp/preseason standout Malik Turner battling an elbow injury, there's a window for Fehoko to slide into right now, but he's going to have to get to shimmying.

Bradlee Anae, DE

A promising young talent that first saw his rookie year stifled by coaching and who now is presumably standing in his own way, Anae has the ability to do well in Quinn's system heading into Year 2, but is having a tough time standing out so far. He's amassed only four combined tackles through three preseason games and is being wildly overshadowed by veterans like Tarell Basham and Dorance Armstrong, as well as another second-year talent in Ron'Dell Carter. As it stands, you'd be hard-pressed to figure out who to sacrifice to keep Anae on the final 53-man roster -- unless Trysten Hill and/or Chauncey Golston wind up on injured reserve. Anae has one final preseason game to send up a flare, and he's capable of doing it. His four combined tackles against the Texans show he can get involved, but that also means he had zero in the previous two games, and that (along with no sacks) simply won't do. 

Honorable mentions: Brandon Knight, Ty Nsekhe

Stock up:

Jabril Cox, LB

As mentioned previously, and since April, the presence of Cox helps to devalue Smith. Making this that much more true is how Cox is coming on strong as of late, after having a solid camp that many didn't speak of because of just how insane Parsons has been. But, quiet as it's kept, Cox doesn't deserve to be overlooked here. He's mostly hit the ground running as well as a rookie in Quinn's scheme, and brings a different type of skill set to the table than Parsons -- helping to create scenarios where he could be on the field quite a bit if called upon. His four combined tackles against the Texans were tied for a team-high, and he led the team against the Arizona Cardinals with seven combined tackles (6 solo). All told, Cox has 15 combined tackles in August (team-high) and is also showing off run-stopping ability to go along with his ability to cover. When I labeled him the steal of the Cowboys draft in April, it was for good reason(s).

Osa Odighizuwa, DL

So often in the NFL, it comes down to opportunity and what a player does or does not do with it. Yes, Odighizuwa is a third-round pick in this year's draft, but it was fellow rookie third-rounder Chauncey Golston who burst out of the gate in minicamp and OTAs -- making it known there was a nice competition coming between the two (and against the veterans). That rapidly changed though, because Golston was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start camp and that's where he remains. It cleared the way for Odighizuwa to step up and that he did, but the injury to starting defensive tackle Neville Gallimore has essentially thrust him into the role of potential starter for Week 1, if he can continue doing what he's been doing in practices and in games. And it's also key to note that the status of Trysten Hill (PUP) is still TBD, so that sound you hear is Odighizuwa's value bursting through the shingles.

Noah Brown, WR

Having battled injury that nearly derailed his career with the Cowboys time and again, Brown came on strong when healthy only to suffer an unusual number of drops in 2020 -- adding to the passing game woes in Dallas with Prescott not on the field. He showed enough to warrant a one-year reup for 2021, and he's gotten back to work trying to repair his brand. Brown is doing impressive things in camp leading into September and is basically a lock to land one of the coveted 53-man roster spots, but had a slow start to the preseason -- contribution-wise -- that suddenly changed when the Texans came to town. He led the team with 35 yards receiving on only three catches (on three targets), and that's what the Cowboys want to see out of their likely WR5. 

Nick Ralston, FB

One way to help your chances of making the roster is to ingratiate yourself with the coaching staff, and the easiest way to do that is to practice well and then put good things on game film. Ralston is doing both, and it has Mike McCarthy and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore liking what they're seeing. For while Ralston isn't often discussed in headlines, the super athletic fullback has been doing plenty of the dirty work required by the position. No, you won't see him dominating the box score, because that's not what fullbacks tend to do -- especially at the NFL level. But he can provide offense if asked, and his stock headed north the instant Sewo Olonilua was placed on season-ending injured reserve. Add to all of this the fact Ralston is handling himself well on special teams (being listed by John "Bones" Fassel as a standout) and it's not hard to see why the Cowboys would want to see more in the preseason finale -- both special teams and on offense -- to give him a real shot at being a happy man come Sept. 1. 

Rico Dowdle, RB

Dowdle is in direct competition with Ralston for a roster seat -- assuming the Cowboys are looking to carry only three players in their backfield and not four. A worthy competitor indeed, Dowdle continues to shine with the ball in his hands, and is good enough (in my eyes) to challenge Tony Pollard for at least a few snaps each game. Don't expect him to dethrone the electric Pollard in 2021, but let's also not pretend Dowdle isn't what he is: a bit of electricity himself. His six carries for 31 yards against the Texans gives him 99 combined rushing yards on 22 handoffs, (4.5 yards per carry), and he's added some receiving yards to his preseason stat line as well, which hints at his dual-threat ability. Dowdle's done more than enough to earn a roster nod, but he can truly solidify it by keeping his pedal to the floor against the Jaguars.

Honorable mentions: Maurice Canady, Keanu Neal, Isaac "Try the Cake" Alarcon, Nahshon Wright, Kelvin Joseph, Dorance Armstrong