COWBOYS
Dallas Cowboys positional battles one week before cut day
The deadline for NFL teams to cut their rosters down to 53 is just a week away, and the Cowboys still have unanswered questions regarding certain positions.
NFL teams have to trim their rosters from the maximum 90 players down to 53 by the end of the day on Tuesday, August 27 - one week from today. With two preseason games in the books, the Cowboys have a bit more clarity on some of the positional battles that were hot in the beginning of training camp, but some things still aren’t so clear yet. The game against the Chargers this weekend will be the final determining factor in at least 35 Cowboys players’ futures.
Here’s where things stand at each position and the ongoing battles for the Dallas Cowboys a week ahead of the roster cutdown day.
Dallas Cowboys roster battles a week before cut day
Quarterbacks
- Battle: QB2 - Cooper Rush vs Trey Lance
Obviously Dallas has their starter in Dak Prescott, and before the Cowboys beat the Raiders in their second preseason game, it seemed like Cooper Rush would remain his primary backup, as Trey Lance really hadn’t done much of anything. However, on Saturday, he completed two touchdown drives and showed a lot of progress in general. There are two questions here now - did Lance do enough to surpass Cooper Rush as the QB2, and are the Cowboys willing to have three quarterbacks on the final 53-man roster?
- Prediction: Cowboys find a way to keep all three with Lance as QB2 and Rush as emergency QB3.
- Total: 3
Running Backs
- Battle: RB4 - Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, Nate Peat
We can probably go ahead and eliminate Conner and Peat from the mix. Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle seem to be the locks at RB1 and RB2, and Hunter Luepke (FB) is likely going to be a lock as well due to his abilities as a lead blocker, although it’s not a 100% lock either. After that, the real battle is among Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, and Royce Freeman.
Vaughn pushed his name back into the mix with his performance against the Raiders on Saturday, when he logged 34 rushing yards in just five attempts for a team-high 6.8 yards per carry. Freeman returned from a groin injury and logged 32 yards on six carries. Davis rushed five times for 14 yards and returned one kickoff for 14 yards.
- Prediction: Dallas keeps Elliott, Dowdle, Luepke, and Vaughn. They cut Freeman, Davis, Conner, and Peat.
- Total: 4
Wide Receivers
- Battle: WR3 and beyond - Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Cropper-Moreno, David Durden, Racey McMath, Cam Johnson, Tyron Billy-Johnson, Kelvin Harmon, Deontay Burnett
Despite the CeeDee Lamb contract drama, he’s still going to be their WR1 come Week 1 of the regular season. Brandin Cooks is a lock behind him as the WR2, and after that, the competition is open. Lamb’s absence has given more opportunities to Tolbert and Brooks, who’ve maximized on them both in training camp and in the preseason. As Turpin is the return specialist, he’s not likely to be cut. Rookie Ryan Flournoy had a good game on Saturday, which may see him staying on the roster next week. He and Cropper have been in the major battle for the WR6 spot, but Cropper had a drop and a fumble on special teams on Saturday that may have hurt his case. He and the others would need to do something pretty major if they want a chance at making it on the team.
- Prediction: Cowboys keep Lamb, Cooks, Tolbert, Turpin, Brooks, and Flournoy. They cut Cropper, Durden, McMath, Johnson, Billy-Johnson, Harmon, and Burnett.
- Total: 6
Tight Ends
- Battle: TE3 - John Stephens Jr., Brevyn Spann-Ford, Peyton Hendershot, Princeton Fant, Alec Holler
Jake Ferguson is the unquestionable TE1 in Dallas and Luke Schoonmaker seems to be a lock at TE2. The TE3 position, however, has not had a clear winner yet. The Cowboys have even been discussing using FB Hunter Luepke as a tight end. Stephens looks to be the potential winner of the battle, but his play has been limited so far so this next game will be a big factor. Spann-Ford could stick around solely due to his $245,000 salary guarantee.
- Prediction: Cowboys keep Ferguson, Schoonmaker, and Stephens. They cut Hendershot, Fant, Holler, and Spann-Ford.
- Total: 3
Offensive Line
- Battle: Backup tackle - Nathan Thomas, Josh Ball, Asim Richards, Matt Waletzko
The interior O-line is doing fine. At center, the Cowboys have rookie Cooper Beebe and veteran Brock Hoffman. After Beebe’s impressive performance on Saturday, he’s likely earned the starting position. Veteran Hoffman will keep the backup spot, and Dakoda Shepley is likely to be cut. Rookie Tyler Guyton had an encouraging showing on Saturday as well and looks to be a solid player at tackle. With Edoga out due to injury, the Cowboys played Ball at left tackle and Waletzko played at right tackle. Richards took snaps at guard and his versatility will likely earn him a roster spot.
- Prediction: Cowboys keep Cooper Beebe, Brock Hoffman, Tyler Smith, T.J. Bass, Zack Martin, Josh Ball, Tyler Guyton, Asim Richards, Terence Steele, and Matt Waletzko. They cut Dakoda Shepley and Nathan Thomas and place Chuma Edoga and Earl Bostick Jr. on Injured Reserve.
- Total: 10
Defensive Line
- Battle: Depth at pass rusher - Carl Lawson, Viliami Fehoko Jr., Tyrus Wheat, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Durrell Johnson
As the Cowboys lost DE Sam Williams to a season-ending knee injury, they’ve made some major changes here recently. They acquired veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and defensive end Carl Lawson last week. Lawson could potentially be the one to provide the depth Dallas needs at pass rusher behind DE DeMarcus Lawrence. Fehoko’s switch to DE is not going so well - he’s recorded the second-most pass rushing snaps in the preseason and has zero pressures.
- Prediction: Dallas keeps Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland, Chauncey Golston, and Carl Lawson at edge and cuts Viliami Fehoko Jr., Tyrus Wheat, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Durrell Johnson (Sam Williams on IR). They keep Osa Odighizuwa, Mazi Smith, Jordan Phillips, and Justin Rogers at tackle and cut Albert Huggins and Denzel Daxon
- Total: 9 - 5 edge rushers, 4 tackles
Linebackers
- Battle: LB5 - Brock Mogenson, Darius Harris, Jason Johnson, Buddy Johnson, Willie Harvey Jr., Nick Vigil, Damien Wilson
Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown, and Marist Liufau all look to be solid locks. After that, it’s a bit up in the air with the rest of this linebacker group. Wilson and Harvey have a chance to make the cut due to their special teams abilities.
- Prediction: Dallas keeps Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown, Marist Liufau, and Buddy Johnson and cuts Jason Johnson, Brock Mogenson, Damien Wilson, Willie Harvey Jr., Darius Harris, and Nick Vigil.
- Total: 5
Defensive Backs
- Battle: CB4 and beyond - Caelen Carson, Kemon Hall, C.J. Goodwin, Eric Scott Jr., Josh Butler, Josh DeBerry, Andrew Booth Jr.
There isn’t so much of a battle as just a need to cut down the roster. Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis are locks at cornerback. Carson is a rookie and he missed some time with a root canal, so his play in the final preseason game is important, but he has played well during training camp. Hall had an impressive preseason game last week with a pick 6, so he is in the mix as well.
The same can be said for the safety position, as it’s really just a matter of making cuts at this point. Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson are sure bets. After that, a case could be made for the others. Israel Mukuami and Markquese Bell look to be on track to make it.
- Prediction: The Cowboys keep Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis, Caelen Carson, C.J. Goodwin and Kemon Hall at cornerback. They cut Eric Scott Jr., Josh Butler, Josh DeBerry, and Andrew Booth Jr. They keep Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Markquese Bell, and Israel Mukuamu at safety and cut Juanyeh Thomas, Julius Wood, Sheldrick Redwine, and Emany Johnson.
- Total: 10 - 6 cornerbacks and 4 safeties
Specialists
There is no battle here and I don’t predict there will be any changes. They’ll keep Brandon Aubrey at kicker, Bryan Anger at punter, and Trent Sieg at long snapper.
- Total: 3