Dallas Cowboys 2022 preseason round-up: Markquese Bell, Brett Maher, Israel Mukuamu…
The preseason is over for the Dallas Cowboys, and now the players have only a few more agonizing days to wait before the final 53-man roster is announced.
Tuesday is D-day for NFL players who are waiting to see if they make their team’s lineup. Some Dallas players hope that they have an actual chance of getting a slot.
Markquese Bell’s shot at the spot
Rookie safety Markquese Bell is one of the hopefuls who are waiting to see if they make the cut in Dallas, and he grabbed his chance to shine at the team’s preseason finale against the visiting Seattle Seahawks.
In the third quarter, Seattle quarterback Drew Lock’s pass flew into the air after bouncing off wide receiver Aaron Fuller. Bell was able to secure the interception and ran 30 yards to the Seahawks 13-yard line. In making the play, the 23-year-old helped set off the sequence of events that led to their comeback win.
Bell was euphoric after the last preseason game, and despite the impending cuts on Tuesday, he is intent on savoring his moment.
Is Brett Maher the next kicker?
It’s kicker Brett Maher’s second stint with the Cowboys, and hopefully it will be sweeter this time around. His first Dallas dalliance took place in 2018-2019. The first year was promising, with Maher kicking for 62 yards against the Eagles and setting a franchise record in the process. But the next year his accuracy took a 14% plunge, leading the team to drop him in December of 2019.
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He became reunited with the Cowboys just a few weeks ago, and since then has been reported to be accurate both in practices and in games. The franchise may decide to give him the kicker job if they are convinced that he can deliver consistently, and that he will not self-destruct as he did three years ago.
Injury of Israel Mukuamu considered minor
In the midst of the Cowboys’ victory over the Seahawks, the team got a bit of worrisome bad news. Safety Israel Mukuamu aggravated a groin injury after executing his second interception in the preseason exhibition games.
Thankfully, an MRI showed that his groin issue was a strain, considered a minor injury, and he could be ready to play for the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That’s one less thing to worry about as he waits to see if he has managed to secure his spot in the 53-man list.