bbgun
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Quarterbacks (2): This is pretty straight-forward. Tony Romo and Kyle Orton make the team. I would like to see if Alex Tanney can be my practice squad QB, but I cannot carry 3 QBs at this point. I do want to make the point, though, that he does seem to possess some interesting skills that are worth working with if you can get him to the PS.
Running Backs (4): DeMarco Murray, Phillip Tanner, Joseph Randle were all automatics. I think Lance Dunbar makes my team as well as a weapon that needs to be used quite a bit for his elusiveness. I am pretty sure I will need special teams out of everyone, but Murray. But, I do like this group and will keep all 4.
Tight Ends (4): Jason Witten, James Hanna, Gavin Escobar, and Dante Rosario. I was wrestling with Andre Smith against Rosario, but the special teams coach Rich Bissacia has a relationship of familiarity with Rosario and vouches for him on teams. That is vital, because usually, 7-year vets don't play special teams as hard as 2-year vets. Rosario looks to be on all those special teams and can catch the ball a bit, so he makes the team out of camp.
Wide Receivers (6): Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Terrence Williams, Dwayne Harris, Cole Beasley, and Anthony Armstrong all make it. I am not crazy about Beasley taking a roster spot if I don't want to do much with him, so his ability to be active each week is certainly not a given. But, the Cowboys do like him and he does show something when they call his number. I just wish he could return like Harris and you could combine the two players. Armstrong is another special teams only guy, and so you can see here how the Cowboys could get by with 5.
Offensive Line (9) : Tyron Smith, Doug Free, Jermey Parnell, Nate Livings, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Ron Leary, Travis Frederick, Phil Costa, and Darion Weems. As you likely know, I am not crazy about this group at all. I think that they have to get to a point where they have reserves who are potential starters someday, and right now, they have no backups who are really pushing to ever be starters. Costa and David Arkin are/were fringe roster guys and this is why the waiver wire might allow me to finally cut ties with one of them. Weems has limited quality, but if Free is now a guard, then you need a 3rd tackle, but you can finally move on from Arkin. Also, because of Livings' contract, he gets a spot but can't likely help you for a while. Basically, you have a mess here that might be slightly better or slightly worse on the mess from 2012 and the mess from 2011.
So that is 25 for the offense.
Now, the defense:
Defensive Line (9): DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Jason Hatcher, Nick Hayden, George Selvie, Ben Bass, Sean Lissemore, Kyle Wilbur, Landon Cohen are my group. I think inside, they can actually build a pretty salty rotation here when Ratliff comes back to give them anything. I really have hopes for Bass, and Cohen is the type of guy you should try on run downs to eat that 1-technique double team. Where this team gets edge pressure is a little iffy, but maybe Selvie and Wilbur can be ok as reserves for now.
Linebackers (6): Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Justin Durant, Ernie Sims, DeVonte Holloman, Brandon McGee, I guess. There are literally no NFL linebackers in camp after the starters and Holloman. Sims has had a tough go and should be on the fence, but since backup linebackers are your special teams guys, I think I need to keep McGee or Thaddeus Gibson (purely for special teams, because he is pretty much a defensive end) until the Waiver Wire yield. This is really, really thin. I don't mind McGee, but if they keep him, it is purely until the wire gives them something and put him on the practice squad.
Cornerbacks (5): Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Orlando Scandrick, BW Webb, Sterling Moore makes up the best group on the team, potentially. Can't imagine having a better group of 5 in a Dallas secondary. Webb and Moore are both NFL players and cover you well in case of injury.
Safety (5) : Will Allen, Barry Church, Danny McCray, JJ Wilcox, Eric Frampton might be 1 too many. I keep McCray and Frampton for special teams help, but I might have to choose between the two and McCray does have a rather large number for just special teams at his level of play. I don't feel good about this position right now at all, but Church and Wilcox might be ok there in a bit. For now, Allen knows the defense and will stopgap until Wilcox can figure this out.
Specialty Players (3): Dan Bailey, Chris Jones, and LP Ladouceur - pretty simple, there. A very good kicker, a solid punter, and a very good deep snapper.
There is my 53.
As you can see, not on the squad are David Arkin, Matt Johnson, Danny Coale, and Caleb McSurdy. Perhaps cutting a 4th from 2011, and a 4th, 5th, an 7th from 2012 will change your perception of those drafts a bit, but this is about getting your best team for today - not trying to make people feel better about past drafts. All are practice squad eligible, but they just haven't done anything to move the needle to verify the faith that was put in them on draft day to this point and they have all had multiple camps now.
Don't forget, I think this 53 is only good for a day, so don't celebrate too hard. Then, on Sunday and Monday, I expect the Cowboys to keep sorting this roster - especially at LB, and OL/DL.
Last year, the Cowboys had a half-dozen disagreements with me, so let's see if I am any closer this year.
Running Backs (4): DeMarco Murray, Phillip Tanner, Joseph Randle were all automatics. I think Lance Dunbar makes my team as well as a weapon that needs to be used quite a bit for his elusiveness. I am pretty sure I will need special teams out of everyone, but Murray. But, I do like this group and will keep all 4.
Tight Ends (4): Jason Witten, James Hanna, Gavin Escobar, and Dante Rosario. I was wrestling with Andre Smith against Rosario, but the special teams coach Rich Bissacia has a relationship of familiarity with Rosario and vouches for him on teams. That is vital, because usually, 7-year vets don't play special teams as hard as 2-year vets. Rosario looks to be on all those special teams and can catch the ball a bit, so he makes the team out of camp.
Wide Receivers (6): Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Terrence Williams, Dwayne Harris, Cole Beasley, and Anthony Armstrong all make it. I am not crazy about Beasley taking a roster spot if I don't want to do much with him, so his ability to be active each week is certainly not a given. But, the Cowboys do like him and he does show something when they call his number. I just wish he could return like Harris and you could combine the two players. Armstrong is another special teams only guy, and so you can see here how the Cowboys could get by with 5.
Offensive Line (9) : Tyron Smith, Doug Free, Jermey Parnell, Nate Livings, Mackenzy Bernadeau, Ron Leary, Travis Frederick, Phil Costa, and Darion Weems. As you likely know, I am not crazy about this group at all. I think that they have to get to a point where they have reserves who are potential starters someday, and right now, they have no backups who are really pushing to ever be starters. Costa and David Arkin are/were fringe roster guys and this is why the waiver wire might allow me to finally cut ties with one of them. Weems has limited quality, but if Free is now a guard, then you need a 3rd tackle, but you can finally move on from Arkin. Also, because of Livings' contract, he gets a spot but can't likely help you for a while. Basically, you have a mess here that might be slightly better or slightly worse on the mess from 2012 and the mess from 2011.
So that is 25 for the offense.
Now, the defense:
Defensive Line (9): DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Jason Hatcher, Nick Hayden, George Selvie, Ben Bass, Sean Lissemore, Kyle Wilbur, Landon Cohen are my group. I think inside, they can actually build a pretty salty rotation here when Ratliff comes back to give them anything. I really have hopes for Bass, and Cohen is the type of guy you should try on run downs to eat that 1-technique double team. Where this team gets edge pressure is a little iffy, but maybe Selvie and Wilbur can be ok as reserves for now.
Linebackers (6): Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Justin Durant, Ernie Sims, DeVonte Holloman, Brandon McGee, I guess. There are literally no NFL linebackers in camp after the starters and Holloman. Sims has had a tough go and should be on the fence, but since backup linebackers are your special teams guys, I think I need to keep McGee or Thaddeus Gibson (purely for special teams, because he is pretty much a defensive end) until the Waiver Wire yield. This is really, really thin. I don't mind McGee, but if they keep him, it is purely until the wire gives them something and put him on the practice squad.
Cornerbacks (5): Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, Orlando Scandrick, BW Webb, Sterling Moore makes up the best group on the team, potentially. Can't imagine having a better group of 5 in a Dallas secondary. Webb and Moore are both NFL players and cover you well in case of injury.
Safety (5) : Will Allen, Barry Church, Danny McCray, JJ Wilcox, Eric Frampton might be 1 too many. I keep McCray and Frampton for special teams help, but I might have to choose between the two and McCray does have a rather large number for just special teams at his level of play. I don't feel good about this position right now at all, but Church and Wilcox might be ok there in a bit. For now, Allen knows the defense and will stopgap until Wilcox can figure this out.
Specialty Players (3): Dan Bailey, Chris Jones, and LP Ladouceur - pretty simple, there. A very good kicker, a solid punter, and a very good deep snapper.
There is my 53.
As you can see, not on the squad are David Arkin, Matt Johnson, Danny Coale, and Caleb McSurdy. Perhaps cutting a 4th from 2011, and a 4th, 5th, an 7th from 2012 will change your perception of those drafts a bit, but this is about getting your best team for today - not trying to make people feel better about past drafts. All are practice squad eligible, but they just haven't done anything to move the needle to verify the faith that was put in them on draft day to this point and they have all had multiple camps now.
Don't forget, I think this 53 is only good for a day, so don't celebrate too hard. Then, on Sunday and Monday, I expect the Cowboys to keep sorting this roster - especially at LB, and OL/DL.
Last year, the Cowboys had a half-dozen disagreements with me, so let's see if I am any closer this year.
