OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN: Dallas Cowboys LB DeVonte Holloman’s suffers career-ending neck injury | Former coach, players react | LBs continue position shifts in aftermath
Reaction to Holloman Retirement | 3:33 | Jason Garrett and Dallas Cowboys players react to the news of DeVonte Holloman’s career-ending neck injury. (Video | Audio)
Jason Garrett – Holloman’s future; Starters playing time | 15:22 | Coach Garrett speaks with the media prior to leaving for this weekend’s preseason game at Miami. (Video | Audio)
IRVING, Texas – With just one season under his belt, DeVonte Holloman’s career seems to be over. Continue reading →
THE BOYS BAY-CITY BRAWL: Dallas Cowboys joint practice with Oakland Raiders gets physical, twice | Tony Romo fired up about team and upcoming Baltimore Ravens game
Watch the fight that breaks out between Cowboys and Raiders | :48 | A fight breaks out during joint practices between the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders. (Watch Video) Continue reading →
FACING THE COACH, TEAM, MEDIA: Dallas Cowboys acquire CB from Patriots by trading Ben Bass | Orlando Scandrick talks about his 4 game suspension | Jason Garrett Press Conference | Dallas Cowboys fan reaction
Orlando Scandrick: This Will Never Happen Again | 5:24 | Dallas Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick talks about his 4 game suspension. (Watch | Listen)
Jason Garrett Press Conference: Scandrick’s suspension; Raiders practice | 16:47 | Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett speaks to the media before his teams afternoon practice with the Oakland Raiders. (Watch | Listen)
OXNARD, CA – Cornerback Orlando Scandrick clarified how his four-game suspension came about today (Tuesday) and blamed no one but himself. Continue reading →
2014 PRESEASON ROSTER RUNDOWN: Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr returns | Stephen Goodin, Tom Hornsey added; Andre Cureton and Cody Mandell released | OG Brian Clarke cut; replaced with AFL veteran Wayne Tribue | DB’s debut | Club expected to sign RB D.J. Adams; release Ben Malena
Brandon Carr: I Worked Out In a Church Parking Lot | 5:07 | Dallas Cowboys CB Brandon Carr returned to training camp after the passing of his mother last week. He talked about those difficult times and the support he received from his teammates. (Watch | Listen)
OXNARD, CA – For a couple of weeks while his teammates were out in California grinding through training camp, Brandon Carr was in the middle of his own grind. Continue reading →
2014 PRESEASON GAME RECAP: Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers | Defense struggled without key starters | Players performance reviewed | Broaddus from the broadcast booth | Ahmad Dixon shines | Third-string RB battle taking shape
Highlights Video | Cowboys at Chargers | 2:21 | The San Diego Chargers played host to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the preseason, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden had 107 yards and a touchdown. (Watch | No Audio)
First Take | 3:33 | Break down of the game from Qualcomm Stadium after the Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers opener. (Watch | Listen) Continue reading →
2014 PRESEASON GAME RECAP: Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers | Starter-less opener brings expected combination of good and bad | Brandon Weeden plays well | Most of the first-string defense sits out game one
SAN DIEGO – Take the good with the bad after two quarters of preseason football – there was a decent amount of both. Continue reading →
THE BOYS ARE BACK TONIGHT: 2014-2015 Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers | Pre-Season opener 2014 | Weeden getting feet wet | Nine intriguing players to watch | Five storylines to watch
SAN DIEGO – When Brandon Weeden signed with the Dallas Cowboys back on March 17, he had both short-term and long-term goals. Continue reading →
AROUND THE NFC EAST – DOWN THE HATCH: Washington Redskins will open 2014 training camp without Jason Hatcher | Former Dallas Cowboys DE sidelined
RICHMOND, Va. — Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden says defensive end Jason Hatcher and three other players will be sidelined when training camp practice begins Thursday.
Gruden said today that Hatcher, defensive end Stephen Bowen and receiver Leonard Hankerson are still recovering from knee surgeries, while backup guard Maurice Hurt is out of shape.
Hatcher, acquired as a free agent from the Dallas Cowboys, had arthroscopic surgery last month. He is expected to return quicker than Bowen and Hankerson, who had more significant injuries.
The coach says quarterback Robert Griffin III’s physical condition is “not an issue” 18 months removed from major knee surgery. Says Gruden: “The key for him is to learn from his mistakes.”
Gruden is leading a camp for the first time. He says he’ll have “butterflies” making sure everything’s right.
2014 DALLAS COWBOYS SCHEDULE: Dallas Cowboys 2014-2015 NFL Schedule – Dallas Cowboys 2014 schedule
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THE BOYS ARE BACK: Wheels down in Oxnard | Dallas Cowboys rested and ready | Dallas Cowboys 2014-2015 Training Camp
Upon wrapping up the team minicamp on June 19, which followed several weeks of Organized Team Activities (OTAs), official Dallas Cowboys on-field action ceases for awhile, giving the players about five weeks off before they report for training camp in Oxnard, Calif., on July 22.
DEZ DUO IN BIG-D: Dallas Cowboys sign WR Dezmon Briscoe to 2014-2015 training camp roster; DT Chris Whaley waived
IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys added another Dez to the receiving group, less than 24 hours before the team departs for training camp.
COWBOYS CAMP COUNTDOWN: Your Dallas Cowboys 2014-2015 Training Camp Calendar and Schedule
IRVING, Texas – The start of 2014-2015 Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, California is only days away.
The Cowboys announced the tentative schedule for their trip today …
STILL WAITING ON DATES: Dallas Cowboys 2014 Preseason schedule matchups announced by NFL
IRVING, Texas – The NFL released this year’s preseason scheduled match ups, with many specific dates still to be determined.
DALLAS COWBOYS CAROUSEL: Marinelli’s Misfits created with twenty-nine Dallas 2013-2014 roster moves
IRVING, Texas — Since May 16, the Dallas Cowboys have signed, traded, acquired, put on injured reserve or released 28 defensive linemen. They saw another, Josh Brent, retire on July 18.
Everett Dawkins and Hall Davis are the latest additions. Dawkins was signed off the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad to the active roster, and Davis filled the final practice-squad vacancy.
There has been an incredible amount of movement on the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line. If you remember the Travis Chappelear era consider yourself fortunate.
Check out these transactions by date involving only the defensive line:
May 16 – Signed Anthony Hargrove
June 5 – Waived/injured Robert Callaway
June 11 – Signed Jeris Pendleton
June 20 – Cut Hargrove
June 25 – Signed Jerome Long
July 18 – Josh Brent retired
July 26 – Signed George Selvie and Landon Cohen
July 31 – Cut Ike Igbinosun, signed Toby Jackson
Aug. 1 – Waived/injured Cameron Sheffield
Aug. 6 – Waived Monte Taylor, signed Jabari Fletcher
Aug. 12 – Signed Travis Chappelear
Aug. 13 – Claimed Thaddeus Gibson
Aug. 19 – Waived Chappelear, Jackson
Aug. 21 – Signed Jason Vega
Aug. 26 – Cut Pendleton
Aug. 27 – Placed Tyrone Crawford on injured reserve, Jay Ratliff on reserve/PUP
Aug. 31 – Cut Fletcher, Gibson, Long, Vega; acquired Edgar Jones from Kansas City
Sept. 1 – Traded Sean Lissemore to San Diego
Sept. 2 – Signed Vega to practice squad
Sept. 3 – Acquired Caesar Rayford from Indianapolis
Sept. 5 – Chappelear waived off injured reserve
Sept. 7 – Placed Ben Bass on injured reserve; re-signed Long
Sept. 17 – Cut Cohen, signed David Carter
Sept. 24 – Cut Long, signed Drake Nevis
Sept. 25 – Placed Anthony Spencer on injured reserve
Oct. 15 – Cut Carter, Signed Jarius Wynn
Oct. 16 – Released Ratliff off reserve/PUP
Oct. 18 – Signed Vega off practice squad; placed Jones on IR to return list
Oct. 21 – Signed Marvin Austin
Oct. 29 – Released Vega; signed Everette Brown
Oct. 31 – Signed Vega to practice squad
Nov. 5 – Cut Austin
Nov. 6 – Signed Everett Dawkins off Minnesota practice squad; signed Hall Davis to practice squad
CHICAGO TRADE: Dallas Cowboys deal TE Dante Rosario to the Bears
IRVING, Texas –The Dallas Cowboys traded tight end Dante Rosario to Chicago for a 2014 seventh round pick this morning ahead of the first practice of the regular season.
Rosario joined the team in early June and worked through the duration of training camp before being dealt to the Bears.
They now have an open roster spot less than a week before Sunday’s season opener against the Giants.
Tight end was position of strength for the Cowboys as they had kept five tight ends on original 53-man roster on Saturday with Jason Witten, James Hanna, Gavin Escobar and Andre Smith joining Rosario.
The trade with the Bears was the third trade by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in as many days. The Cowboys acquired defensive end Edgar Jones from the Chiefs on Saturday and traded defensive tackle Sean Lissemore to the Chargers on Sunday.
Positions the Cowboys could target for the extra roster spot include cornerback, defensive line and offensive line.
RELATED: Rosario move more about faith in Andre Smith
IRVING, Texas – When the front office decided to keep five tight ends on the active roster, I had a feeling there was potentially a different plan in place, and this (Monday) morning we learned what that plan was.
Dante Rosario was traded to the Chicago Bears for a conditional seventh round selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Rosario was brought in to be a jack-of-all-trades type of a player, a stunt man that did those dirty jobs that no one else wanted to do. He had a special teams history with Rich Bisaccia from the Chargers and that alone made me believe that he had a real shot to stay on this roster, but his play in the preseason was less than spectacular.
This move is more about the type of training camp that Andre Smith was having. Smith was projected more as a blocker that was too slow and clumsy to be any type of a threat in this “12” personnel package, but he proved he was far from that type of tag. He was able to get down the field and become a reliable target.
There were several practices in Oxnard and in the Cincinnati game where we observed soft hands and nimble moves on routes. His ability to sustain and stay square on blocks at the point was noticeable as well. He gives them some power at the point of attack that the other tight ends don’t provide.
After the roster reduction on Saturday, I spoke with several teams that were disappointed that Smith was not on the street to be claimed. The overall belief was he was much better than just some ordinary tight end that you get for camp. He had some qualities of the type of player that you could play down after down and not struggle at the position. I like what they were able to do in moving Rosario, which was something they worked hard on, but to keep Andre Smith was a real bonus in my book.
Courtesy: Bryan Broaddus | Football Analyst/Scout
BISACCIA’S BOYS: Recent roster moves show emphasis on Special Teams
IRVING, Texas – This time of year is always a tough time to make judgments on the roster. And it’s not for a lack of news, but only because we should know by now the roster is far from fluid.
We’ve already seen a few changes since Saturday’s 22 roster moves to get down to 53 players.
But if we’ve seen any kind of theme here in the last few days pertaining to the roster, it’s a rare emphasis on improving the special teams units.
For starters, the Cowboys decided to keep both Danny McCray and Eric Frampton as backup safeties, along with Jeff Heath and J.J. Wilcox. McCray and Frampton have lead the team in special teams tackles over the last three years.
McCray has been the special teams captain the last two years. He showed last year that he struggles as a safety, especially in coverage. But when it comes to covering kickoffs and punts, few have been as good or consistent as McCray in recent history.
The one decision the Cowboys didn’t make regarding the kicking game centered on wide receiver. They chose to keep just five receivers, including Cole Beasley, who is a better route-runner and slot player than Anthony Armstrong. However, Armstrong played with every special teams unit and had more speed than arguably any other player on the squad.
After the cuts, the Cowboys started making more special-teams related moves. A few hours after trimming the roster to 53, the club put Nate Livings on IR and traded a seventh-round pick to Kansas City for linebacker Edgar Jones, a six-year veteran who thrives on special teams. He is a hybrid linebacker/defensive end as a position, but special teams is his forte.
On Sunday, after the Cowboys sent Sean Lissemore to San Diego for 2015 seventh-round pick, they filled his spot by claiming linebacker Kyle Bosworth from the Giants. Yes, it’s that Bosworth – he’s the nephew of former Seattle Seahawk first-rounder Brian Bosworth. And Kyle is another local product, having starred at Plano West before attending UCLA. He played the last two years for the Jaguars, playing 25 games, including five starts last season.
Again, Bosworth is a special-teams player. That will be his role here with the Cowboys.
They tried to fill Alex Albright’s (lost during the preseason, placed on waived/injured list) spot from within. Rookies Brandon Magee, Cam Lawrence and Taylor Reed, along with first-year pro Caleb McSurdy all made it to the final preseason game. But the Cowboys chose to put all of them on waivers on Saturday.
The goal was to bring Magee back to the practice squad, but he was claimed off waivers by the Browns. Lawrence, an undrafted rookie from Mississippi State, has been added to the Cowboys’ practice squad.
But the Cowboys weren’t confident in any of them being ready to play Sept. 8 against the Giants. That’s why Bosworth has been signed. The same goes for Jones. And ditto for having both McCray and Frampton on the team.
I’m sure new special teams coach Rich Bisaccia is appreciative. After watching five games in the preseason, it was clear the kicking game had its issues. Although sometimes those tend to show up more because the players are being shuffled more than a deck of a cards in Vegas.
Who knows if the special teams miscues will carry over into the regular season. But if they do, it’s not likely they can blame personnel on this one.
SCOUTING REPORT: A closer look at your newest Cowboys – Edgar Jones and Kyle Bosworth
Let’s go into the film room to take a closer look at Edgar Jones and Kyle Bosworth, the newest members of the Dallas Cowboys.
· Edgar Jones 6-3, 262 Southeast Missouri State 7th season
Edgar Jones comes to the Dallas Cowboys from the Kansas City Chiefs through a trade. The Cowboys sent their 6th round selection to the Chiefs in 2014, for Jones and their 7th round selection in the same draft. Jones will wear #55 and most likely see action as a Sam linebacker in this scheme for Monte Kiffin even though he has a build like what they use at defensive end.
For the Chiefs, he played as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 but there were times where he did put his hand on the ground similar to what we had seen from Anthony Spencer in the past. The times that I did observe him rush, it was usually from the defensive right side. Not as explosive as what you would see from Ware or Spencer but can be slippery getting up the field. Will match power with some counter pass rush moves.
Tries to attack the edge and work his way around the corner. Doesn’t have a closing burst to finish the play but can get there if the quarterback does hold the ball for a tick longer. Plays with nice desire and effort.
Main contribution to the squad is on special teams. Plays as the R5 or next to the kicker on the kick off team. Runs well for his size, is more than willing to attack blockers, hard for smaller blockers to handle. Will physically run through blockers. Works to the ball, keeps his eyes on the returner. Does a nice job with his hands shedding.
Is a second wedge blocker on the kickoff return. Club had two touchdowns in the preseason on returns to his side. Can get in position, will work his hands inside to control his man. Comes close to holding every return but doesn’t draw a call. He is a big body that is hard to get around.
Is the left guard on the punt team. Will handle his responsibility, get rid of man, then work up the field. Did not see him give up any pressures. Plays as a blocker on the punt return. Like his work on kickoff return, he grabs his man and stays with him up the field. Looks more mobile in space doing this than playing on defense. Did not see any huge problems or mistakes with his assignments. Plays with good awareness.
· Kyle Bosworth 6-1, 243 UCLA 3rd season
Kyle Bosworth was claimed off waivers from the New York Giants after spending his two previous seasons in Jacksonville. Plays as a Mike linebacker but also saw some action as a Sam. Bosworth will wear #58 and should provide depth at both spots. Would not call him the best foot athlete but there are things he does on special teams in space that would make you believe he can handle some aspects of the position.
On tape, he plays with a great deal of awareness. He was hard to fool. Has to be this way because I would not call him an explosive player running but I would say that he does play with explosiveness when he gets into position to tackle. Did see him carry the tight end into the flat against Pittsburgh. Is a physical player that can take on blocks, use his hands then shed. Will step up no problem at all. There is some stiffness in his game in the way he runs but I have seen him work down the line, work through the bodies and get to the ball. Wrap up, get the man on the ground type of tackler.
Like Edgar Jones, will be a core player on the special teams, plays on all of them. Plays as the R5 as well on the kickoff team. Great effort to hustle down, take on the blocker, then find the ball. Really like his awareness. Reads well. Had two tackles in the New England game.
Plays on the front line at the guard on the kickoff return. Will drop, turn, then work himself into position to block. Really productive staying with his man. Knows how to use his hands inside to control. His holding is not as noticeable as Jones’ is. Is very aware to let go of his block if he gets into a bad position. Don’t see fouls here. Will hold his position on the block. If he misses his block, will struggle to get back into position. Not a fluid moving athlete.
Plays as the left wing on the punt team. I know I question his athletic ability in space but he seems to function well here. Able to get wide, control the rusher, then make his way down the field. Once again, there is a physical side to his game here. Don’t see him get knocked back or off balance.
Saw action on the punt return unit as an inside hold up man. Like on the kickoff return, he does a solid job of adjusting to his man down the field. Really has to fight to keep himself in position but plays like he really knows what he is doing. Size really helps him as a blocker. Dependable.
Like how physical he does play along with his smart. You can see on tape that he takes pride in his work.
DUST SETTLING ON ROSTER: 2013 Dallas Cowboys practice squad set
IRVING, Texas – For those upset the Dallas Cowboys cut quarterback Alex Tanney because they feared he would be claimed by another team, breathe a sigh of relief. Tanney cleared waivers and was signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad.
Wide receivers Danny Coale and Tim Benford will be on the practice squad for the second straight season. The Cowboys also added guard Ray Dominguez, defensive end Jason Vega, cornerback Micah Pellerin, safety Jakar Hamilton and linebacker Cameron Lawrence to the practice squad.
The Cowboys had hoped to re-sign Brandon Magee to the practice squad, but the linebacker was claimed by Cleveland. The Dallas Cowboys are no longer on the hook for the $70,000 guarantee they had on his contract.
DALLAS COWBOYS ROSTER MOVES: Sean Lissemore traded to San Diego; Kyle Bosworth claimed off waivers
IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys stayed active after the weekend cuts by trading former seventh-round pick Sean Lissemore to the Chargers on Sunday and claiming linebacker Kyle Bosworth off waivers.
Lissemore signed a three-year extension worth $7.17 million in September 2012 when the Cowboys’ defense ran the 3-4 scheme. He was traded for a 2015 seventh-round pick.
All six of Lissemore’s starts since joining the Cowboys in 2010 came last season. He’s admitted the switch to the new 4-3 has been a tough transition.
“I can definitely play in this defense, it’s just taking a little bit to transition,” Lissemore said after training camp. “It’s a little bit different than last year, playing the 3-4 defense, kind of two-gapping it. It’s kind of forgetting everything I’ve learned for the past three years and training myself to do something different.”
Lissemore, who suffered a concussion in the preseason finale, will be going back to the 3-4 scheme in San Diego. He was slated as a backup in Dallas after a strong offseason from Nick Hayden, who’s played on the interior next to Jason Hatcher.
The Cowboys used their open spot on the roster after trading Lissemore to claim Bosworth off waivers from the Giants. Bosworth, a local product who played high school football at Plano West, played 25 games the last two seasons with the Jaguars after going undrafted in 2010 out of UCLA.
The team will rely on Ben Bass, Kyle Wilber, George Selvie, and Landon Cohen for depth behind starters Anthony Spencer, Jason Hatcher, Nick Hayden and DeMarcus Ware, unless they make another move on the waiver wire.
Lissemore’s trade is the second the Cowboys have made since Saturday’s cuts. They placed guard Nate Livings on injured reserve as well, which opened up a spot on the roster for Dallas to trade for Kansas City linebacker Edgar Jones. The Cowboys sent over next year’s sixth-round pick and also got a seventh-round pick in that deal.
RELATED: Veteran guard Nate Livings placed on Injured Reserve
The Dallas Cowboys have decided to place veteran guard Nate Livings on injured reserve with a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery last month.
Livings’ roster spot was immediately filled by former Chiefs linebacker Edgar Jones, a six-year veteran who should provide depth on special teams.
Jones played just one year in Kansas City after five seasons in Baltimore. He played all 16 games for the Chiefs last year but has just 57 total games played since 2007.
The Cowboys initially kept just five linebackers when they trimmed the roster to 53 late Saturday afternoon. The club decided to waive Caleb McSurdy, Brandon Magee, and Cam Lawrence on the final cuts.
Jones will join a linebacker group consisting of Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Justin Durant, Ernie Sims, and rookie DeVonte Holloman.
Although Livings’ base salary of $2.4 million is guaranteed for this season, the Cowboys were preparing for 2013 without the veteran who joined the Cowboys last year in free agency.
Heading into the Sept. 8 game with the Giants, the Cowboys will likely go with Mackenzy Bernadeau and David Arkin as the starting guard, unless Ron Leary can return from a knee scope in time. Leary did some light running before Thursday’s preseason finale with the Texans.
KANSAS CITY TRADE: Chiefs special teams vet Edgar Jones to Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys traded for defensive end Edgar Jones from the Kansas City Chiefs, according to the Chiefs’ Twitter account tonight.
Jones, 28, is a special teams veteran who spent his first five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Southeast Missouri in 2007. He was a pass rusher in college but also played tight end and linebacker with the Ravens.
Jones, 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, He will take the roster spot of Nate Livings, who was placed on injured reserve.
Jones had a special teams score in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.
NO TERMS OF ENDEARMENT: Plaintiff attorney in NFL concussion suit calls Jerry Jones a “hard-ass”
There was a humorous, Dallas Cowboys-related moment today during a media conference call to announce terms of the concussion lawsuit settlement between the NFL and 4,500 former players.
Christopher Seeger of Seeger Weiss LLP, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs, was asked if he is concerned the players left money on the table by settling the suit.
“I think you all can assume that the NFL and the NFL owners are pretty tough individuals,” he said. “In fact, you’ve got one down in Texas who I would call a hard-ass. I think that’s a fair characterization.
“These are not easy people to negotiate with, and these were contested, hard-fought battles. And I believe we got everything we could possibly get out of the NFL in this litigation.”
Seeger was asked to clarify the Texas owner to which he was referring _ not that there was much doubt about the answer. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a power-broker on several key owner committees, so it seems likely that he was directly involved in negotiations.
“Oh, oh, oh, sorry,” Seeger said. “I don’t even know who the owner in Houston is, frankly. I hope I didn’t offend him. I’m talking about the one in Dallas.”
DALLAS COWBOYS SPECIAL TEAMS: Danny McCray agrees to salary reduction
IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys have apparently decided to keep Danny McCray on the roster for a fourth season.
But not before he reduced his salary from the $1.323 million price he was initially slotted for during the offseason.
McCray, one of the team’s top special teams players the past three seasons, has been a special teams captain the last two years. He was a restricted free agent this year and the Cowboys issued him the original draft tender of $1.323 million considering he was undrafted.
Terms of McCray’s new salary were not revealed by the Cowboys, but it’s expected the backup safety is now making in the range of $700,000.
McCray had to start 10 games at safety last year when Barry Church went down with an Achilles injury. White he finished with 87 tackles, good for second on the team behind Anthony Spencer (107), McCray struggled at times at safety, especially in coverage.
In 2012, McCray was second on the team with 18 special teams tackles, finishing behind Eric Frampton (21), who has been injured the last three weeks with a calf strain. His spot on the roster is still up in the air. His $715,000 price tag is favorable to the Cowboys, along with his experience to play safety and special teams. But his injury status could be a reason the Cowboys might be forced to go long at safety when they reduce to 53 players by Saturday.
McCray made the team as an undrafted rookie from LSU in 2010 and promptly led the special teams in tackles with 28. He came back with a team-high 19 during an injury-riddled 2011 season. But McCray became the first player since Bill Bates (1989-90) to lead the Cowboys in special teams tackles in consecutive years.
2013-2014 ROSTER BATTLE: Predicting who will make the Dallas Cowboys final 53
IRVING, Texas – As I write this story, there is a personnel meeting going on down the hall from me.
Having sat in that room for a number of years, the feelings I had never changed. Along with the draft, this was the most important day of a scout’s year. In this meeting with Jerry and Stephen Jones, there is going to be a healthy debate on how this roster is going to be shaped.
For five weeks there have been meetings, practices and games to evaluate to put together the best 53 players for the upcoming season. There is going to be a time where a coach is not going to agree with a scout and vice versa, but in the end, both parties have to put their feelings aside and do what is right for this organization.
I no longer sit in those meetings, but I still have a strong enough feeling of what this team might try and do in selecting its best 53 players. So with that being said, here is my crack at the roster.
Quarterbacks: 2
Tony Romo and Kyle Orton
I understand the thoughts of trying to keep Alex Tanney as the third quarterback on this roster but I need his spot on the roster to help me try and win games now. This club is too banged up injury wise to carry him on this roster. My hope is to get him to the practice squad. If it works out great, if not I am moving on. That’s just part of the NFL you deal with.
Wide Receivers: 5
Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Terrence Williams, Dwayne Harris, Cole Beasley
There was a side of me that was trying to get Anthony Armstrong on this squad as the fifth receiver but Beasley is just too valuable to the offense to put him on the street. Another position that you would like to carry an extra player but numbers play a factor here.
Tight Ends: 4
Jason Witten, James Hanna, Gavin Escobar, Dante Rosario
Andre Smith would be an option here but he doesn’t play all the positions on the offense and the coaches have confidence in Rosario on special teams even though I thought he had a rough night against the Texans. Just a gut feeling but Smith has played well enough to be a guy that you would consider claiming.
Offensive Line: 10
Tyron Smith, Ronald Leary, Travis Frederick, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Doug Free, Jermey Parnell, Phil Costa, Nate Livings, David Arkin, Darrion Weems
I am not totally comfortable with that final spot because they could decide they still want to work with Demetress Bell but I am going with the younger Weems, who I believe has more to work with. That last spot could also come down to a waiver claim. But we need to remember is that if Free plays at guard, this club is going to need a swing tackle. I kept Livings because his salary is guaranteed. However, he could be a candidate for IR, which would give the Cowboys an open spot.
Running Backs: 4
DeMarco Murray, Lance Dunbar, Phillip Tanner, Joseph Randle
Two of the four backs play major roles on the special teams. There is a side of me that believes that we might not see Dunbar in this opening game against the Giants, so Tanner and Randle will be asked to help Murray get through this game.
Defensive Line: 9
Demarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher, Nick Hayden, Anthony Spencer, Kyle Wilber, George Selvie, Ben Bass, Landon Cohen, Jason Vega
I feel better about the starting four with Spencer in the lineup over Selvie. Hayden will give the defense nice effort inside and if Bass can continue to play like he did against the Texans, then the nickel pass rush will be better. My surprise in this group is that the front office decides to keep Jason Vega which means that Sean Lissemore is out of the mix. Like Cohen, there is something to Vega’s game that interests me. In Lissemore’s spot you can play Cohen at the one behind Hayden. Like the offensive line, this is a position that you could see a waiver claim or two.
Linebackers: 6
Sean Lee, Justin Durant, Bruce Carter, DeVonte Holloman, Ernie Sims, Cameron Lawrence
I had no trouble with five of the six that I wanted to keep, it was that sixth spot that had me thinking. As much as I thought that Brandon Magee could have been a factor on this roster after the draft, it just hasn’t been the case. I didn’t see that nose for the ball until they played against Arizona then he suffered a concussion in practice the following Monday after the Arizona game. I really believed that he was going to be more active but that just wasn’t the case. Cameron Lawrence has made plays and when he has been asked to play snaps, he has done a nice job. I believe he gives you something as a backup linebacker and potential core special teamer. He gets my last spot over Magee.
Defensive Backs: 10
Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Will Allen, Barry Church, B.W. Webb, Sterling Moore, J.J. Wilcox, Orlando Scandrick, Jeff Heath, Eric Frampton
At that this position, I kept Frampton over McCray because I know that he can be a core special teamer but I also felt like that he could play snaps in the secondary and be productive doing it. With two rookie safeties behind Allen and Church, I needed that veteran player and I just felt better about Frampton doing that job. There also might be a consideration of savings between the two that I have to measure.
Specialist: 3
Dan Bailey, Chris Jones, L.P. Ladouceur
No questions with this group. Solid.
Courtesy: Bryan Broaddus | Football Analyst/Scout
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