IRVING, Texas – Now that the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason is over and we’ve seen three organized team activities and three minicamp practices, what better time than to make our first prediction at the 53-man roster for the season opener against the New York Giants.
Greg Hardy does not make the list because of his suspension, so you could call this a 54-man roster projection in a way.
QUARTERBACK (3)
Vaughan became the first No. 3 quarterback the Cowboys have kept since 2011 when he made the roster as an undrafted free agent. He remains a project, but somebody the Cowboys want to continue to develop, especially with Weeden entering the final year of his contract. Perhaps he could be the No. 2 quarterback in 2016 with a solid preseason showing.
RUNNING BACK (4)
How in the world could I keep Ryan Williams off the roster? It was a tough decision, but the fact that he was limited in the spring because of a swollen knee didn’t help his cause. He can work his way into the mix this summer and with his work in the preseason games. Even if I can envision the Cowboys keeping four tailbacks, I have a hard time seeing them taking all four to the game, which makes that spot tenuous at best on the 53-man roster, as teams generally use back-of-the-roster spots on players they might want to groom.
WIDE RECEIVER (5)
The first four are easy to pick, but I am going on the assumption Bryant will show up in training camp and be ready for the regular season. I wouldn’t take the threat of sitting out of regular-season games by Bryant’s camp too lightly. The receiver is prideful. But for the sake of this post, I’ll put him on the 53. Whitehead got the last spot because of his return ability. It remains a projection because we haven’t seen any of the returners do much action in the spring. Whitehead has the start-and-stop ability to make people miss, but he doesn’t possess Dwayne Harris’ thickness that made him hard to tackle. This spot could change a lot this summer or the Cowboys could go with six receivers.
TIGHT END (3)
I tinkered with the idea of adding Geoff Swaim as the fourth tight end, considering the Cowboys gave up a sixth-rounder in 2016 to take him at the end of the seventh round last month, but the decision to bring back Clutts made me opt otherwise. The real battle in training camp will be between Hanna and Escobar as to who plays more behind Witten. Hanna is a better blocker and while Escobar has improved, he still has some work to do. But Escobar can be a player in the seams and in the red zone.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9)
The Hardy roster spot could allow the Cowboys the chance to add a player they don’t want to risk losing on waivers, like potentially Laurence Gibson, a seventh-round pick with promise. But Chaz Green’s hip surgery changes that thought for the moment if he opens the season on the physically unable to perform list. For now, I’ll keep him on the 53. When the Cowboys drafted Green in the third round, I thought he would be the swing tackle on game day, but Weems might have had something to say about that role if Green were healthy. Bernadeau brings value because of his ability to play all three spots on the interior. I went with Leary over Collins as the starter at left guard for now, but they might be in a long battle during camp to see who wins the job. Where things could get interesting for the Cowboys is the 46-man roster. They have dressed just seven linemen in recent years, but perhaps they could go to eight this year.
DEFENSIVE LINE (9)
Remember, Hardy will not count against the final 53, so that’s why he’s not listed. Ryan Russell, the team’s fifth-round pick, missed out on the final spot to Gardner. Gardner has had a productive spring and made a lot of plays. After sitting out last year, he might be one of the surprise players. The flexibility of Lawrence, both Crawfords, Mincey and McClain offer some different options for Rod Marinelli up front. He can mix and match this group better than he could in his first two years on the staff and he will be able to add Hardy to the mix at some point.
LINEBACKER (7)
This will be a competitive group this summer, especially the fight for some back-end spots. Veteran Keith Rivers didn’t make the cut in this projection, but he’s done a solid job. I went with Wilber because he is a known special-teams commodity and can also play defensive end in a pinch. Wilson has benefited from extra work this spring with injuries to others, so that should help his transition to the NFL. McClain didn’t practice because of knee surgery and there are always questions about his availability. The Cowboys were wise to cover themselves with the additions of Brinkley and Gachkar.
CORNERBACK (6)
Remember not too long ago when the Cowboys went with three cornerbacks on their 53 to start a season? I might be a little heavy here, but I believe the position flexibility of White helps his cause. Claiborne is expected to be able to practice in training camp, but there is no set time frame. The Cowboys need to look at anything they get from him as a bonus, but not expect anything. Carr was thought of a possible cap casualty at the start of the offseason, but has a solid spot on the roster.
SAFETY (4)
I don’t see any of the undrafted players getting into this mix, and people should remember that Jones and White can play some safety too. Church and Wilcox are set as the starters for now, and Heath and McCray can play valuable special-teams roles. Is it a perfect group? No, but it’s good enough. If Jones can develop as a safety, then that could change the dynamic.
SPECIALIST (3)
Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.