On the one hand, the fourth preseason game almost is a necessary evil for some players.
Established veterans who have nothing to prove rarely participate in it unless they’re working their way back from injury, and prized rookies who already have carved out a niche often are held out if the risk is greater than the possible reward.
And then there are the players for whom the preseason finale is the determining factor in whether they are members of the 53-man, regular-season roster or if they are told that their dream is to be deferred, or pursued with another franchise.