Dallas Cowboys get good news minutes before kickoff, while fourth round rookie gets demoted
The Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals revealed their inactives minutes before kickoff of Week 8 matchup.
If you were nervous about the Dallas Cowboys’ inactives in Week 8, I don’t blame you. The Cowboys listed a couple of key starters as questionable: WR George Pickens (shoulder/hamstring) and DT Kenny Clark (back).
Fortunately, both players are ready to go on Sunday. The Cowboys announced their inactives 90 minutes before kickoff and neither is on the list.
That’s not all the good news: The Cowboys are getting back safety P.J. Locke as expected following his activation off of Injured Reserve on Saturday. So who is inactive?
Cowboys inactives, Week 8
- LB Dee Winters
- TE Luke Schoonmaker
- WR KaVontae Turpin
- CB Shavon Revel Jr.
- OL Drew Shelton
- OLB Tyrus Wheat
- PRACTICE SQUAD ELEVATION: TE James Mitchell
Cowboys fourth round rookie demoted
Rookie offensive tackle Drew Shelton was a full participant on Friday and carried no game status, yet he is a healthy scratch for thr first time in his career.
Earlier in the season, he was the Cowboys’ sixth OL in jumbo packages. He wasn’t very successful in those packages, as play strength was an issue defenders took advantage of consistently.
Last week, Broderick Jones was on the field often and was a major part of the Cowboys’ run game taking off. The Cowboys ran for 81 yards in nine attempts with Jones on the field. Jones appears to have taken Shelton’s job on that aspect on offense.
Though it’s obviously not what he wants, Shelton should be better off developing behind the scenes, as he has struggled in limited playing time. He has the athletic traits to develop into a better player but he needs one year on the sidelines.
Notes on Cowboys inactives
- Surprisingly, Shavon Revel Jr. is a healthy scratch on this one, too. Perhaps the Cowboys view more special teams value on other players like the safeties (more on that later). With P.J. Locke back, it seems like it’s Revel Jr. who is the odd man out.
- Locke being back had an impact on Revel Jr. but not the safety room. Last week, the Cowboys seemingly benched Markquese Bell for Alijah Clark at safety. Both are active for this game. Both have higher snap counts than Revel Jr. on special teams.
- The Cowboys will be down KaVontae Turpin again. RB Tyrel Goodson had a kickoff return touchdown called back due to a penalty but he showed big-play ability. Can he keep that up?
Cardinals inactives
The biggest name who will be absent from the Cardinals will be DT Walter Nolen III, who is a force in that defensive line. Expect the Cowboys to take advantage of it.
