It might be a meaningless game in August but when the Dallas Cowboys take on the Miami Dolphins tonight in Canton, at least we will have football for the first time since February.
Tony Romo will not suit up, but at least we will be able to watch Kyle Orton under center. Dion Jordan may not see a lot of reps, but at least we get to see Olivier Vernon.
Who really cares what players suit up, we have football on the horizon.
Let's take a look at what the first game of the 2013 NFL preseason schedule has to offer.
Dallas Cowboys Coaching Changes
Offensive coordinator Bill Callahan will call his first game as a member of the Cowboys coaching staff. It will be interesting to see how quickly Dallas is able to get the play to Orton early in the game. This was a major issue for head coach Jason Garrett when he was calling plays over the past couple seasons.
Though we might not get a great sample of this transition because Romo will not be under center, it's important to see just how fluid the Cowboys' offense runs pre snap.
On the other side of the ball, Dallas has switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense. Monte Kiffin's Tampa-2 defense will be the focal point here. I am intrigued to see how well the Cowboys make the transition here, mostly in the front seven. That being said, Anthony Spencer will not be suiting up due to injury. Spencer as well as Demarcus Ware will be switching from outside linebacker to defensive end in this new scheme.
Miami Dolphins' Offensive Line
According to various reports, Jonathan Martin has struggled a great deal in camp. This is alarming considering that he is being tasked with moving to Ryan Tannehill's blindside after Jake Long departed for St. Louis in free agency. Martin was among the worst pass-protecting tackles in the NFL as a rookie while playing right tackle. Will he be able to hold up in front of Tannehill in this one? It'll be interesting to see just how much he struggles, especially going up against Ware.
On the other side of the line, Tyson Clabo takes over for Martin. He was among the best pass-protecting right tackles and should represent somewhat of an upgrade over Martin there. As it is, all eyes will be on the second-year player from Stanford, not Clabo.
The Running Backs
Reggie Bush departed for the Detroit Lions in free agency, leaving Miami with a three-headed group that includes up-and-coming youngster Lamar Miller. Meanwhile, Felix Jones is no longer a member of the Cowboys. He has been replaced by rookie Joseph Randle as a primary backup to DeMarco Murray. With that in mind, Dallas should see more of Lance Dunbar, who has been more impressive in camp. If Murray is healthy, the real battle at running back will be behind him on the depth chart. Miller promises to have reps taken from him by Mike Gillislee and Daniel Thomas tonight. I want to see who will take the ball and run with it (pun intended) behind Miller this preseason. As a rookie, Gillislee represents higher upside than Thomas.
The Rookie Show
One of the most interesting aspects of watching preseason games is to see how first-year players perform. It's their first taste of the big leagues, and their teams will be watching to see how they respond.
Dion Jordan represents the highest draft pick to take part in the Hall of Fame Game. He's likely going to be a situational pass-rusher opposite Cameron Wake, but possesses the upside and athletic ability to make a huge impact early. Will we see Aldon Smith-like production from Jordan or will he struggle making the adjustment to the NFL?
Equally as important, at least for Cowboys fans, will be the play of rookie first-round pick Travis Frederick, who is nearly guaranteed to start in his first season. It just depends on where Garrrett and company decide to play him. There has been some talk of the Wisconsin product lining up at guard, not center. Tonight's game should give us an indication of where he stands right now.
Fantasy Angle
Not much to see here. I guess hardcore fantasy owners will look at trends and such when drawing a conclusion about who to draft as the regular season approaches. If that's what you plan to do, a couple things could be taken out of this game.
After reports surfaced about the Ryan Tannehill-to-Mike Wallace connection taking time to develop, I want to see how those two look in the first couple drives of the game. If these reports prove accurate on the field, Wallace could be someone to watch down the line as it relates to avoiding until being proven otherwise.
The Cowboys' wide receiver situation behind Dez Bryant could be an interesting thing to look at here as well. We already know that Bryant is going to be a top-tier WR1 option in any league format, but who steps up behind him? Dwayne Harris and Danny Coale are two youngsters to watch, especially with rookie Terrance Williams likely riding the pine due to injury. Coale, a Wes Welker cline, could have some late-round dynasty value in PPR leagues.