The Dallas Cowboys‘ are playing in their first pre-season game on Saturday, however they have made a slightly strange decision with regard to selection.
Unsurprisingly, many starting veterans and roster-locks are not playing in the team’s first pre-season game, as has become customary for many teams over the past half decade or so.
However, almost unanimously all rookies are given some play-time in as many games prior to the start of the regular season, to both get their bodies accustomed to the physicality and speed of the NFL, and to give them some experience of what league games look and feel like; some practice runs to mimic their actual game day preparation.
Yet, the Cowboys have decided to break that trend. Whilst the vets are indeed being kept on the sidelines, per Todd Archer, The Athletic’s Jon Machota notes that the team are also making the unexpected decision to keep the projected starting right guard and this April’s 12th overall pick – rookie Tyler Booker.
Not playing: Dak Prescott, Kavontae Turpin, Javonte Williams, Hunter Luepke, Terence Steele, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker, Jake Ferguson, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, John Stephens, Jack Sanborn, DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Sam Williams, Solomon Thomas
â Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 9, 2025
Somewhat surprisingly, Cowboys first-round pick RG Tyler Booker isn’t playing in the preseason opener
â Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 9, 2025
Cowboys Break Pre-Season Consensus With Tyler Booker Decision
Some teams opt to start their first team offense and/or defense, and subsequently pull them out of the game towards the end of the first quarter. Others choose not to play any established players at all, such as the Los Angeles Rams under head coach, Sean McVay. But it’s quite rare to see teams not get their new rookies out for a first look ahead of the regular season.
The general quality of the games are much lower than in the regular season, so it takes less of a toll on the new recruits’ bodies. By similar consequence, it can be easier for first year players to make splash plays, giving them – and indeed fans – extended confidence heading into the long grueling season.
And indeed in the comfortable August heat, its not like rookies are up against the elements, which they may encounter in the winter when the temperature gets properly cold.
Why Is Tyler Booker Not Playing In The Pre-Season Opener?
Its not obvious at this point. Considering that the Cowboys have had some pretty rotten injury luck this past offseason, in which four out of the five projected starters have faced medical-related issues at some point over the past month or two.
Two of those players remain sidelined, tackle Tyler Guyton and new free agent guard acquisition, Robert Jones. Jones will spend around three months on the sidelines with a broken bone in his neck, whilst Guyton is in a race to be ready for the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 4th, having suffered a bone fracture in his knee earlier in training camp.
So it could well be that head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, does not want to risk losing yet another player to an avoidable injury. Especially given that owner and GM, Jerry Jones, made the offensive line a key pre-draft area of focus.
Or perhaps Booker is also dealing with a separate issue that need not get exacerbated by a full-contact game. Whatever the reason, the fans will likely want to see their early first round draft pick get some sense of action ahead of the start of the games that matter.
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