3 players that could completely alter the Dallas Cowboys’ original roster plans ahead of preseason finale
A lot has happened since the Dallas Cowboys’ preseason kicked off. Here are three questions going into roster cuts that we weren’t really expecting.
When the Dallas Cowboys preseason finale comes to an end on Friday night, the team will have under 48 hours to cut down the roster from 91 players to 53. By Sunday at 6:oo p.m. ET, NFL teams need to comply with the 53-player limit.
So if I had to guess, the Cowboys already have an idea or two about what the initial roster will look like. Even head coach Brian Schottenheimer admitted the process of projecting what the roster will look like is something they’re starting before the game.
“We’re just starting to kind of get into that a little bit, we’re still evaluating people,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Monday. “We’ll get into that process this week as we go.”
And still, Schottenheimer cites multiple “tight battles” across the roster. Not only are players still competing for the final spots, but I believe three players are making the coaches’ lives much more complicated ahead of Sunday’s cuts. Let’s dive in.
1. QB Sam Howell: 3 players at QB?
With the way Joe Milton has played the last couple of weeks, I sincerely doubt the Cowboys won’t have him be Dak Prescott’s backup. He looks in so much control of the offense and much more cool, calm, and collected than last year. His accuracy is also improved. Plus, his arm power gives him an important distinction: upside.
But Howell has also played well, despite a red zone interception last weekend. Schottenheimer acknowledged Howell entered the preseason “a little bit ahead” of Milton based on training camp performance.
Clearly, the Cowboys like Howell. Do they find a way to get the two, and Dak Prescott, on the 53? Given the value of the position, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise. But I don’t think the Cowboys were expecting to have three quarterbacks on the 53 when the offseason began.
2. S Julius Wood: Going ridiculously long at safety is an option
So here’s the situation at safety. The Cowboys are almost guaranteed to keeep Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker, P.J. Locke, and Markquese Bell. The latter may surprise some but Bell (healthy) didn’t play in Week 2 of the preseason and was described as one of the most trusted special teams player on the team.
In other words, the Cowboys likely know who are the five safeties they’re carrying on the team. The thing is, this leaves training camp and preseason standout Julius Wood on the outside looking in. Because I really, really doubt the Cowboys are carrying six safeties.
Bell is already highly unlikely to play any defense as it is! But can the Cowboys possibly like Wood enough to get him on the team as the sixth safety? Again, he’s looked great at times, particularly as a tackler. And heck, if they cound Caleb Downs as a nickelback, it’s not that bad. Some questions do exist about his coverage though, so maybe Dallas is okay with risking him to waivers.
3. CB Caelen Carson: Do his struggles result in outside help?
The first two players were standouts that are putting the Cowboys in a tight spot. This one is a little different. I genuinely believe the Cowboys were expecting Carson to step up as athe team’s top backup behind DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant, and Shavon Revel Jr. Keep in mind, he was getting first-team reps in the offseason program.
But Carson struggled in the preseason opener to the point that he didn’t get a chance to start the following game. Assuming the Cowboys keep fourth-round rookie Devin Moore, I’m not sure who becomes the veteran backup at cornerback. If the Cowboys believe Carson (nor others like Ameer Speed, Derion Kendrick, Reddy Steward) isn’t good enough to be the backup, the team could target someone else at the waiver deadline.
