Cowboys' roster cut bodes well for former high draft pick
The Cowboys have been moving and shaking to get their roster down to 53 by Tuesday's 4 pm EST deadline. Unfortunate cuts to a fan favorite such as wide receiver T.J. Vasher have taken place and the shocking move by the Cowboys to part ways with all of their backup quarterbacks. One move on the […]
The Cowboys have been moving and shaking to get their roster down to 53 by Tuesday's 4 pm EST deadline. Unfortunate cuts to a fan favorite such as wide receiver T.J. Vasher have taken place and the shocking move by the Cowboys to part ways with all of their backup quarterbacks.
One move on the defensive side of the ball is an interesting one. In a crowded defensive tackle room, veteran Carlos Watkins was released by the Cowboys, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.
This is specifically beneficial to one guy, Trysten Hill. The former second-round pick in 2019 hasn't yet lived up to his draft status with 18 games played and a pedestrian 27 tackles and a half-sack in three seasons. Hill faced a challenging year in terms of his future with the Cowboys, in particular because of what Watkins did in 2021.
Training camp and preseason work became more crucial than ever for Hill this summer. He answered the bell by continuously wrecking shop against the Cowboys' backup offensive linemen and even having some competitive reps against the starting unit. Against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 of the preseason, Hill impressed with his quickness off the line of scrimmage and his ability to take on double teams and disengage while making plays against the run.
After such a solid summer it was going to be hard to cut Hill. The reason is, that he is a former second-round pick so it would make sense for the Cowboys to keep him around if he's playing well and strengthen an already deep rotation at defensive tackle. Also, if it doesn't pan out, the Cowboys can part ways in 2023 once his rookie deal runs out, and still have a solid group on the interior if so with guys like Neville Gallimore, Osa Odighizuwa, Quinton Bohanna, and Chauncey Golston on the roster.
Anything can happen before Tuesday's deadline, but it looks like Hill is staying in Dallas in 2022.
Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
