MacMahon - Vol. 2: Premature 53-man roster projection

[bkeavs]

MacMahon - Vol. 2: Premature 53-man roster projection





Vol. 2: Premature 53-man roster projection

August, 7, 2012


By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. -- The second weekly edition of the always-subject-to-change projection of the Cowboys’ 53-man roster for the season opener:

QUARTERBACKS (2)
Tony Romo
Kyle Orton
Stephen McGee hasn’t developed enough to merit keeping a third quarterback, especially since Rudy Carpenter is eligible for the practice squad.

RUNNING BACKS (3)
DeMarco Murray
Felix Jones
Phillip Tanner
The hope is that Tanner won’t miss much more than a week after breaking his hand. He can be a core special teams player, something undrafted rookies Ed Wesley and Lance Dunbar aren’t physical enough for at this point.

FULLBACKS (1)
Lawrence Vickers
Jason Garrett talks a lot about the importance of being a physical team. The signing of Vickers is proof that it’s more than just talk.

WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
Miles Austin
Dez Bryant
Kevin Ogletree
Veteran TBD
Andre Holmes
Danny Coale
No position on the roster has more uncertainty. There isn’t a legitimate No. 3 guy on the roster, but a veteran waiver pickup won’t be ready for that role right away. Tim Benford, Raymond Radway and Cole Beasley all have a chance to make the team.

TIGHT ENDS (3)
Jason Witten
John Phillips
James Hanna
Hanna, who has great speed for a tight end, is getting a ton of reps with Phillips nursing an ankle injury. Can he block well enough to compete for the second tight end role?

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN (10)
Tyron Smith
Doug Free
Nate Livings
Mackenzy Bernadeau
Phil Costa
Jermey Parnell
Derrick Dockery
Ronald Leary
Pat McQuistan
David Arkin
If Costa has any competition, it will be from Bernadeau. But Bernadeau still hasn’t practiced, and the plan was for him to start at guard.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (7)
Jay Ratliff
Jason Hatcher
Sean Lissemore
Kenyon Coleman
Tyrone Crawford
Josh Brent
Clifton Geathers
Lissemore and Crawford make Marcus Spears -- and maybe Coleman -- expendable. Geathers (6-7, 325) looks like a monster and has actually started making some plays.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (5)
DeMarcus Ware
Anthony Spencer
Victor Butler
Kyle Wilber
Alex Albright
Albright is a Joe DeCamillis favorite who has added to his value by working a lot at inside linebacker and even a little at tight end. That makes it worth going heavy here.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4)
Sean Lee
Bruce Carter
Dan Connor
Orie Lemon
Carter and Connor should be upgrades over past-their-prime Keith Brooking and Bradie James. One team source said he’d be stunned if Lemon, a practice squad player last season, didn’t survive final cuts.

CORNERBACKS (5)
Brandon Carr
Morris Claiborne
Mike Jenkins
Orlando Scandrick
Mario Butler
Butler hasn’t looked out of place while playing with the first-team nickel in the few days since Claiborne went down. He’s also added to his value by working some at safety.

SAFETIES (4)
Gerald Sensabaugh
Barry Church
Danny McCray
Matt Johnson
Church’s competition with Brodney Pool was a first-round knockout. Mana Silva, who can help on special teams, could make the Cowboys consider going heavy here.

SPECIALISTS (3)
Dan Bailey
Chris Jones
L.P. Ladouceur
Only question here is whether the Cowboys can count on Jones. If not, they’ll be able to find a veteran after the preseason.

 

[Midswat]

I agree that a veteran receiver will be added, but I can't see how Olgletree makes the team.

You don't ever hear his name mentioned in reports, whereas nothing but good things are being said about the young guys.


Also glad to hear Lemon is doing well. He was someone I noticed in camp last year and really rooted for.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Well ask yourself this too mid. Why have we kept him around for 3 years? I think somewhere in there you'll find the answer you seek.

 

[bbgun]

These boobs will keep McGee. Book it.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
Miles Austin
Dez Bryant
Kevin Ogletree
Veteran TBD
Andre Holmes
Danny Coale
No position on the roster has more uncertainty. There isn’t a legitimate No. 3 guy on the roster, but a veteran waiver pickup won’t be ready for that role right away. Tim Benford, Raymond Radway and Cole Beasley all have a chance to make the team.

BRILLIANT! The three players not named Dez, that are having the best WR camp may not make the team because the other three Ogletree (has hit his ceiling been three years, he is what he is), Holmes (failed his conditioning and since returned has been, meh but because he has size that the FO has a hard on for), and then Coale (a 5th rounder that has been injured and recently started back uip and has been... meh). Go ahead and try to slip Beasly onto the PS. He will be gone! Especially with all the news he generated and then the Cowboys took him back. When an UFDA just ups and quits and a team like the Cowboys takes him back and it makes news, better believe that other teams will be paying more attention.


SO MUCH FOR FUCKING COMPETITION... EH GARRETT?!

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN (10)
Tyron Smith
Doug Free
Nate Livings
Mackenzy Bernadeau
Phil Costa
Jermey Parnell
Derrick Dockery
Ronald Leary
Pat McQuistan
David Arkin
If Costa has any competition, it will be from Bernadeau. But Bernadeau still hasn’t practiced, and the plan was for him to start at guard.

Guess Kowalski is done. Too bad

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (5)
DeMarcus Ware
Anthony Spencer
Victor Butler
Kyle Wilber
Alex Albright
Albright is a Joe DeCamillis favorite who has added to his value by working a lot at inside linebacker and even a little at tight end. That makes it worth going heavy here.

Word is that Hamilton is having a better camp than Albright.

CORNERBACKS (5)
Brandon Carr
Morris Claiborne
Mike Jenkins
Orlando Scandrick
Mario Butler
Butler hasn’t looked out of place while playing with the first-team nickel in the few days since Claiborne went down. He’s also added to his value by working some at safety.

Butler. Bout time. Should have been on last year.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

Well ask yourself this too mid. Why have we kept him around for 3 years? I think somewhere in there you'll find the answer you seek.

Because he was cheap. And they had so much success with other UFDA WRs. But Ogletree has hit his ceiling. But it'd be par for course with this team to let Beasly and the other two go, and keep someone like Ogletree and then get rid of him the following year. It's the Cowboys Jerry-Jason way.

 

[Midswat]

Word is that Hamilton is having a better camp than Albright.

I know they're trying to find a spot for Albright and make him versatile. They were lining him up on the inside last week or so.

But yeah, don't see how Hamilton doesn't make the team. He's a good rusher.

 

[cmd34]

I really can't argue with his 53.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

I know they're trying to find a spot for Albright and make him versatile. They were lining him up on the inside last week or so.

But yeah, don't see how Hamilton doesn't make the team. He's a good rusher.

I just noticed it just now, but for the WRs... your boy Dwayne Harris was not mentioned, and he along with Beasely was supposed to be having one of the best camps.

 

[cmd34]

In this scenario, Hamilton could make the roster at Orie Lemon's expense, especially with Albright showing he can play inside. It will come down to who the Cowboys thinks will have a better chance of slipping through waivers and onto the Practice Squad.

If we don't find a Veteran WR TBD then I'd put Harris on the 53.

 

[superpunk]

In this scenario, Hamilton could make the roster at Orie Lemon's expense, especially with Albright showing he can play inside. It will come down to who the Cowboys thinks will have a better chance of slipping through waivers and onto the Practice Squad.

If we don't find a Veteran WR TBD then I'd put Harris on the 53.

I was wondering who 53 was after I saw him in individual drills the other day, he looked good. Thought it was Lemon while I was there. Him and Albright looked good.

 

[LAZARUS_LOGAN]

In this scenario, Hamilton could make the roster at Orie Lemon's expense, especially with Albright showing he can play inside. It will come down to who the Cowboys thinks will have a better chance of slipping through waivers and onto the Practice Squad.

If we don't find a Veteran WR TBD then I'd put Harris on the 53.

I wouldn't br surprised if Coale is placed on PS. I know he's a 5th round draft pick, but Harris was a 6th rounder last year and he was placed on the PS.

 

[Theebs]

I agree that a veteran receiver will be added, but I can't see how Olgletree makes the team.

You don't ever hear his name mentioned in reports, whereas nothing but good things are being said about the young guys.


Also glad to hear Lemon is doing well. He was someone I noticed in camp last year and really rooted for.

I was listening to Mickey on the fan earlier during practice. They were doing sort of a play by play of the drills going on behind them during his segment.

I was also reading the twitter feed with all the local beat writers. Every time Beasley, Holmes or benson catch the ball everyone tweets it, no one tweeted when ogletree apparently made two nice catches.

Mickey said nice catch by ogletree and richie just talked about something else.

I think the local dfw media has written off ogletree and are not watching him the way they are watching guys like benson and Harris etc...

So I think that is why there hasnt been much talk.

But much like Hurd in 07, Austin in 08 and Phillips in 09 I think he will get the ball thrown to him in the preseason a lot. I have a feeling in three weeks he will be a major topic in the media. Good or bad I don't know.

 

[dbair1967]

I really can't argue with his 53.

I can

 

[Midswat]

I was listening to Mickey on the fan earlier during practice. They were doing sort of a play by play of the drills going on behind them during his segment.

I was also reading the twitter feed with all the local beat writers. Every time Beasley, Holmes or benson catch the ball everyone tweets it, no one tweeted when ogletree apparently made two nice catches.

Mickey said nice catch by ogletree and richie just talked about something else.

I think the local dfw media has written off ogletree and are not watching him the way they are watching guys like benson and Harris etc...

So I think that is why there hasnt been much talk.

But much like Hurd in 07, Austin in 08 and Phillips in 09 I think he will get the ball thrown to him in the preseason a lot. I have a feeling in three weeks he will be a major topic in the media. Good or bad I don't know.

Interesting insight. Never even considered that.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

Hamilton isn't making this team. Not sure why nobody can understand that.

 

[Midswat]

It'll come down to numbers, but he's appearantly been doing a very good job creating pressure and doesn't look lost in space.

 

[GloryDaysRBack]

It'll come down to numbers, but he's appearantly been doing a very good job creating pressure and doesn't look lost in space.

He did well like day one and day two. And has done nothing since. Maybe won some 1 v 1s...which doesn't mean much

 

[cmd34]

I can

Good for you Corky, good for you.

 

[cmd34]

It'll come down to numbers, but he's appearantly been doing a very good job creating pressure and doesn't look lost in space.

Both Hamilton and Wilber look very athletic and quick. Would be nice to have some speed coming from the left side.