Cowboys make unprecedented roster decision ahead of Week 9 vs Eagles
The Dallas Cowboys are doing something they haven't done in the 2023 NFL season: Elevating fewer than two players from the practice squad for gameday. Ahead of Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys announced they're only elevating linebacker Rashaan Evans, who made his team debut last weekend versus the L.A. Rams. For each […]
The Dallas Cowboys are doing something they haven't done in the 2023 NFL season: Elevating fewer than two players from the practice squad for gameday.
Ahead of Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys announced they're only elevating linebacker Rashaan Evans, who made his team debut last weekend versus the L.A. Rams.
For each of their first seven games, they had elevated two players every week (the weekly max per NFL rules) as they've been very savvy with their elevations throughout the season.
At the beginning of the year, for example, they called up C.J. Goodwin twice. Everyone knew Goodwin would inevitably be signed to the 53-man roster, but the Cowboys kept their special teams ace on the squad to keep several young players "safe" at the final cutdown day in August.
This week's unprecedented decision to elevate just one player ahead of the critical NFC East showdown could come from a variety of factors. Mainly, it's the team's health. Although Dallas listed Tyron Smith and Chuma Edoga as questionable leading up to tomorrow's game, the 53-man roster is healthy overall. The fact that the team didn't elevate an additional lineman almost guarantees at least one of the injured tackles will be ready to go tomorrow.
Additionally, the team seems to be figuring out a very fluid special teams unit. Many of the Cowboys' elevations this season have been based on special teams, like TE Eric Saubert last week, who was poached by the Houston Texans earlier this week. Running back Malik Davis being called up in Week 7 is another good example.
Players like Hunter Luepke, Sam Williams, Israel Mukuamu, and Nahshon Wright have recently earned bigger roles on John Fassel's unit. By the way, the special teams coordinator truly deserves a round of applause for his problem-solving this season.
The role elevation of Rashaan Evans also means the Cowboys will have only six inactive players tomorrow instead of the usual seven.
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