(TNS) The preseason finale is different for different people. Nearly half the roster didn’t play in Friday’s win over the Falcons. Many of them didn’t because their roster spot is secured. That wasn’t the case for approximately the other half of the roster. This preseason, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has said repeatedly, is about evaluation. Friday’s game marked one final chance to make an impression.

“I think it’s going to be tough. I really do,” Schottenheimer said about cutting down the roster to 53 players before Tuesday’s deadline. “I think it’s going to be tough. Why? Because I think we’re a talented roster, and we’ve got some really, I would say, very competitive position battles, and there’s numbers. When you’re looking at a 53-man roster, you’re like, man, OK, where are you going to fit these guys?”

Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn focuses on the things he’s already controlled. Now in his third year, Vaughn said that he grew “leaps and bounds” this offseason. He pointed specifically to the work he did in pass protection — something running backs coach Derrick Foster harped on and pushed on him from the moment they met.

Vaughn, as he’s done in preseasons before, also made one quality last impression before cut-down day. He had a team-high 10 carries for 42 yards against Falcons. Vaughn has very strong family ties to Murray as his father — Chris — was a standout linebacker for Head Coach Houston Nutt’s Murray State teams in the 1990s, while his mother — Marquette (Foster) is a Murray High alum, who met Chris while attending Murray State. 

Vaughn said that he’s been able to live his NFL dream with the Cowboys the last two seasons. He’s hopeful that it can continue, but he’s at peace with whatever happens.

“If I was regretful for things that I’ve done over the past few weeks throughout camp,” Vaughn said before changing his thought, “but I did everything. I was able to fight back from injury and play in all three games. I was able to become a better teammate. I was able to become a better player. I felt myself just growing every single day. Looking back, I have no regrets.

“I put my best foot forward and it’s out of my hands now. There’s nothing I could really do about that.”