Predicting the 5 Dallas Cowboys players that won’t suit up for gameday in Week 1 vs. New York Giants
The Dallas Cowboys’ 53-man roster is set. But if you’re a football nerd like me you’re probably wondering about the often-overlooked 48-man roster.
I have a confession to make: I’m a little bit of a roster nerd.
With the Dallas Cowboys roster pretty much set (I wouldn’t be surprised if some more maneuvering takes place over the next week), 53-man roster projections and the sort are behind us. Heck, the Cowboys even have a full practice squad right now.
But my roster nerdiness is going down swinging. Now it’s time to predict some inactives! You see, though the Cowboys have 53 players on the roster, only a maximum of 48 can be active on gameday.* In other words, the Cowboys will have a minimum of five inactive players when they take on the New York Giants in Week 1. I’m here to predict who those five players will be.
*Note: Per NFL rules, it’s 47 players on the active gameday roster or 48 as long as you carry eight offensive linemen as part of those 48.
All kidding aside, it’s an intriguing excercise early in the year, as inactives aren’t shaped by injuries yet (for the most part). Instead, it’s mostly what we call “healthy scratches.” And looking at who they will be gives you a better idea as to who will take the field in the opener. Let’s dive into the list.
Cowboys projected inactives
- DT Jonathan Bullard: The Cowboys are betting on Bullard’s experience and versatility. But he hasn’t practiced since Aug. 4 due to injury (groin/core) and I believe there will be a ramp up period before he plays. With Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark spearheading the group, I think the Cowboys can be patient with him.
- OL Drew Shelton: The fourth-round rookie is not NFL ready. His struggles in the preseason cannot be ignored by the Cowboys and I wouldn’t expect him to play early on. Can he develop into a starting tackle? Maybe. But it will take time. For now, Shelton might be looking at many “healthy scratch” games barring any injuries.
- CB Caelen Carson: I’m not sure there’s room for Carson on the 48-man roster yet. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has expressed special teams praise for safeties P.J. Locke, Markquese Bell, and Alijah Clark and it seems like Ameer Speed is the top special teams guy at cornerback.
- WR Camden Brown: Listen, I really want to see the undrafted rookie play. And he showed he can play special teams so I could very well be wrong. But with such a top-heavy group of wideouts and KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo already helping out on special teams, the rookie might have to be patient.
- S Alijah Clark: Special teams made Clark crack the 53-man roster but I’m not sure the Cowboys carry six safeties on gameday. I was between he and OLB Tyrus Wheat, but Schottenheimer explicitly described the latter as a “Core 4” guy (meaning he can play punts and kickoffs both ways) and I’m not sure Clark is that to the Cowboys.
So there you have it. Hopefully the Cowboys stay as healthy as they are and it’s only a handful of healthy scratches all season long. That’s realistically impossible in the NFL, of course.
