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Cowboys will have tough choices in determining the right 53-man roster
Posted at 4:05 PM on Fri., Aug. 27, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer / Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
As you start to pare down the Cowboys roster from 80 to 53 there are things to take into consideration besides just Player A vs. Player B.
It's also about number of snaps, special teams' play, cost and the future.
You want to avoid progress stoppers when putting together the roster. Player A may be better in September, but will he be better than Player B in November? It's the potential debate and there might be two spots where this comes into play for the Cowboys: fullback, backup nose tackle.
It is possible the Cowboys keep Deon Anderson and Chris Gronkowski with just two tight ends. I'm leaning toward that not happening when the final cuts come.
Anderson can deliver more of a blow from the fullback spot than Gronkowski, but the rookie can do more things in the passing game, sift through traffic better and possibly be a backup deep snapper. Of 60 plays in a game, the Cowboys might call a power running play five times. Is that enough to justify Anderson's spot on the roster?
At nose tackle Junior Siavii has done nothing so poorly that he should be cut, but he's making more than $1 million this year. Josh Brent would make $385,000 if he makes it. Even without a salary cap finances will matter, which is why you've heard so much about Sam Hurd's status this off-season. Siavii would be a safe bet behind Jay Ratliff and he is a big body with game experience. Brent has size but is learning the spot still.
Will Brent be better, however, as the season goes on and what is Siavii's future? For the immediacy it makes sense to keep Siavii but the Cowboys gave up a seventh rounder to get Brent this year. I'm leaning toward having both guys make the 53 but then I'm creating a special teams' hole because they would only be on the kick return team.
The perfect breakdown of a roster would be 25 offense, 25 defense, three specialists.
The specialist part is easy if David Buehler locks down the field goal job.
Picking the offense and defense is a little more difficult: two QBs or three? Nine OL or 10? Six wide outs or five? Three tight ends or two? Five running backs or four? Six defensive linemen or seven? Eight, nine or 10 linebackers? Nine or 10 defensive backs?
The Cowboys might have to force a few of these puzzle pieces together to make it all work but at least it appears they have enough pieces to complete the puzzle.
Posted at 4:05 PM on Fri., Aug. 27, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer / Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips
As you start to pare down the Cowboys roster from 80 to 53 there are things to take into consideration besides just Player A vs. Player B.
It's also about number of snaps, special teams' play, cost and the future.
You want to avoid progress stoppers when putting together the roster. Player A may be better in September, but will he be better than Player B in November? It's the potential debate and there might be two spots where this comes into play for the Cowboys: fullback, backup nose tackle.
It is possible the Cowboys keep Deon Anderson and Chris Gronkowski with just two tight ends. I'm leaning toward that not happening when the final cuts come.
Anderson can deliver more of a blow from the fullback spot than Gronkowski, but the rookie can do more things in the passing game, sift through traffic better and possibly be a backup deep snapper. Of 60 plays in a game, the Cowboys might call a power running play five times. Is that enough to justify Anderson's spot on the roster?
At nose tackle Junior Siavii has done nothing so poorly that he should be cut, but he's making more than $1 million this year. Josh Brent would make $385,000 if he makes it. Even without a salary cap finances will matter, which is why you've heard so much about Sam Hurd's status this off-season. Siavii would be a safe bet behind Jay Ratliff and he is a big body with game experience. Brent has size but is learning the spot still.
Will Brent be better, however, as the season goes on and what is Siavii's future? For the immediacy it makes sense to keep Siavii but the Cowboys gave up a seventh rounder to get Brent this year. I'm leaning toward having both guys make the 53 but then I'm creating a special teams' hole because they would only be on the kick return team.
The perfect breakdown of a roster would be 25 offense, 25 defense, three specialists.
The specialist part is easy if David Buehler locks down the field goal job.
Picking the offense and defense is a little more difficult: two QBs or three? Nine OL or 10? Six wide outs or five? Three tight ends or two? Five running backs or four? Six defensive linemen or seven? Eight, nine or 10 linebackers? Nine or 10 defensive backs?
The Cowboys might have to force a few of these puzzle pieces together to make it all work but at least it appears they have enough pieces to complete the puzzle.
