Football is (kind of) back!
The Dallas Cowboys kick off their preseason schedule with a road trip to Seattle to take on the defending Super Bowl-champion Seahawks at Lumen Field at 7 p.m. Saturday, as they take the next step on the runway toward the regular season.
Although the vast majority of starters are not expected to play for the Cowboys, position battles and spotlight rookies will still be on display. Here are five things to watch in the preseason opener:
First-round picks take the field 
Dallas Cowboys defensive back Caleb Downs walks off the field after his first training camp practice with the team at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, Calif. on July 29, 2026. Nick Harris Fort Worth Star-Telegram
While the status of the No. 11 overall pick, Caleb Downs, is still unofficial, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the expectation is that he and fellow first-round pick Malachi Lawrence will get some burn at some point in Saturday’s game. (Of note, 2025 first-round pick Tyler Booker did not play in the preseason opener last season.)
Downs has had an impressive camp, as he has slotted in with the first-team defense at the nickel cornerback spot and has also seen increased responsibilities on the back end at safety with the second team while that room works through some injuries. Additionally, Downs has seen some punt return work in camp.
According to Schottenheimer, Lawrence has been working more in the classroom during training camp, as most of the new scheme that he is learning on defense was foreign to him. As his progression continues, preseason playing time will be critical toward having him ready to go in time for the season opener on Sept. 13. Expect Lawrence to see roughly 20 snaps Saturday night.
Third-round pick linebacker Jaishawn Barham is doubtful to play with a groin injury that has kept him out of practice over the past week. He is expected to return to the practice field next week in hopes of playing against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 22.
Backup quarterback battle takes center stage 
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JANUARY 04: Joe Milton III #10 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on January 04, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The New York Giants won 34-17. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) Ishika Samant Getty Images
With Dak Prescott not playing in the preseason for the seventh consecutive year, the entirety of the exhibition slate will be handled by Joe Milton III and Sam Howell.
Each have had their ups and downs during camp, as Milton started camp off by edging just ahead, but Howell has brought it back to a more dead-heat battle in recent days as Milton has thrown a couple of interceptions.
The fate of the backup quarterback battle will be determined by whoever can show more consistency in the preseason. Each are expected to get a half of play on Saturday.
Which running back shows consistency? 
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 12: Jaydon Blue #23 of the Dallas Cowboys carries the ball following a kickoff during the NFL 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Jared C. Tilton Getty Images
Staying in the backfield, another critical offensive position battle will carry a big spotlight Saturday night, as five players contend to be the complementary running back to Javonte Williams during the season.
Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah are expected to have the best chance at carving a role, but that’s not to discount the flash that Israel Abanikanda has shown in training camp and the film that Malik Davis put out last year. Recent addition Jashaun Corbin is also expected to work in at some point.
In training camp, it’s tough to see how big certain running gains are with guys not being brought down to the ground, but the preseason will be full contact. Who can show the receiving ability, speed, pass protection and contact balance that is required to win the job? Saturday night will be the biggest determining factor in the battle so far this offseason.
Does Christian Parker coach from the sideline or booth? 
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker speaks at his press conference during training camp in Oxnard, Calif. on August 5, 2026. Nick Harris Fort Worth Star-Telegram
New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has not yet determined if he will be up in the booth or on the sideline while he calls plays in his first year on the job, and it remains unknown what his plans will be Saturday night.
On Monday, Schottenheimer said that Parker would ideally be on the sideline this season, but that the Cowboys will experiment with both options in the preseason to see which alignment is comfortable for everyone involved.
While with the Philadelphia Eagles as the defensive pass game coordinator the last two seasons, Parker was on the sideline, but he has had experience in the booth as well.
Shavon Revel Jr. takes the field fully healthy 
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. walks off the field after a training camp practice at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, Calif. on August 3, 2026. Nick Harris Fort Worth Star-Telegram
After tearing his ACL as a senior at East Carolina two seasons ago, 2025 third-round pick cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. has yet to feel as healthy as he does now, as he prepares to play in his first NFL preseason game on Saturday night. In fact, he’s as healthy as he’s been in four years after he played through a sports hernia injury in 2023.
The 6-foot-2, 198-pound cornerback has started to stack strong performances in recent days in training camp, as he had a pair of deflections on Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua on Tuesday afternoon and followed it up with a strong practice working against George Pickens on Thursday afternoon.
As he competes with fifth-year veteran Cobie Durant for the outside cornerback job opposite of DaRon Bland, Revel is really starting to close the gap on Durant’s experience with his length and playmaking ability on the outside. A strong performance Saturday night could lay the foundation for camp’s most intense battle over the last two weeks of the preseason.
Game schedule dates, times, locations Aug. 3 San Francisco 5, Rangers 1 Aug. 4 Rangers 5, San Francisco 4 Aug. 5 Rangers 6, San Francisco 0 Aug. 7 Rangers 2, Baltimore 1 Aug. 8 Rangers 5, Baltimore 1 Aug. 9 Baltimore 10, Rangers 5 Aug. 10 at L.A. Angels, 8:38 p.m., RSN Aug. 11 at L.A. Angels, 8:38 p.m., RSN Aug. 12 at L.A. Angels, 9:10 p.m., ESPN Aug. 13 at L.A. Angels, 9:07 p.m., RSN Aug. 14 at Athletics, 8:40 p.m., CW Aug. 15 at Athletics, 8:40 p.m., RSN Aug. 16 at Athletics, 3:05 p.m., RSN July 31 Washington 81, Wings 75 Aug. 2 Wings 83, Connecticut 63 Aug. 5 Washington 96, Wings 92 Aug. 7 Golden State 94, Wings 76 Aug. 9 Minnesota 103, Wings 90 Aug. 12 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m., KFAA, USA Aug. 14 at Indiana, 6:30 p.m., Ion Aug. 17 at Golden State, 9 p.m., KFAA, NBCSN, Peacock Aug. 20 vs. Indiana (at American Airlines Center), 7 p.m., ABC, KFAA, Amazon Prime Aug. 23 vs. Seattle, 3 p.m., KFAA, NBATV Preseason Aug. 15 at Seattle, 7 p.m., CBS, NFL Network Aug. 22 at Arizona, 9 p.m., CBS, NFL Network Aug. 28 vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m., CBS Regular season Sept. 13 at N.Y. Giants, 7:20 p.m., NBC Sept. 20 vs. Washington, 3:25 p.m., Fox Sept. 27 vs. Baltimore (at Rio de Janeiro), 3:25 p.m., CBS Oct. 4 at Houston, 12 p.m., Fox Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video Oct. 18 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC Oct. 26 at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 8 at Indianapolis, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco, 3:25 p.m., Fox Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m., Fox Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., Fox Dec. 7 at Seattle, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC Dec. 20 at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7:20 p.m., NBC Jan. 3 vs. N.Y. Giants, 12 p.m., Fox Jan. 9 or 10 at Washington, TBA Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), 11 a.m., ESPN Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, 7 p.m., ESPN+ Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, 7 p.m., ESPNU Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA Nov. 6 at Arizona, 9:15 p.m., ESPN Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA Nov. 26 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN Sept. 5 at Indiana, 11 a.m., Fox Sept. 12 vs. UNLV, 2:45 p.m., ESPNU Sept. 19 at Texas State, 11 a.m., USA Sept. 26 vs. Houston Christian, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ Oct. 1 at Tulsa, 8 p.m., ESPN Oct. 10 vs. Charlotte, TBA Oct. 24 at Navy, 2:30 p.m. CBSSN Oct. 29 vs. Florida Atlantic, 6:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2 Nov. 7 vs. Rice, TBA Nov. 14 at UTSA, TBA Nov. 21 at Tulane, TBA Nov. 28 vs. UAB, TBA All home games at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium Aug. 27 vs. Central Oklahoma, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at McNeese State, 6 p.m. Sept. 12 vs. Texas College, 6 p.m. Sept. 26 vs. Nelson, 6 p.m. Oct. 3 at Arkansas Baptist, 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Louisiana Christian, 2 p.m. Oct. 17 vs. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 1 p.m. Oct. 24 at Langston, 2 p.m. Oct. 31 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State, 2 p.m. Nov. 7 at Ottawa (Arizona), 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Wayland Baptist, 2 p.m. July 22 FC Dallas 2, Portland 2 July 25 San Diego 1, FC Dallas 0 Aug. 1 FC Dallas 0, LA Galaxy 0 Aug. 5 FC Dallas 2, Queretaro 0 (Leagues Cup) Aug. 8 FC Dallas 1, Chivas de Guadalajara 0 (Leagues Cup) Aug. 12 at Toluca (Mexico), 9 p.m., Apple TV (Leagues Cup) Aug. 16 at Austin, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV Aug. 19 at Salt Lake, 8:30 p.m., Apple TV Aug. 22 at Vancouver, 8:30 p.m., Apple TV Aug. 30 at St. Louis, 6 p.m., Apple TV Aug. 29 Team Texas: David Starr’s Racing School Sept. 5 NASCAR Racing Experience Sept. 19 Drift n Drag Sept. 19 Black Light Run Sept. 25-26 Dumpster Expo Oct. 1-3 Dirt Track Championship Oct. 2-3 Goodguys Lone Star Nationals Oct. 14 Tony Stewart Bowling Tournament Oct. 16-17 High Limit Racing Championship Oct. 29-31 POWRi Racing
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.