Take five: David Moore’s projection on Cowboys 53-man roster

[Irving Cowboy]

Take five: David Moore’s projection on Cowboys 53-man roster
By David Moore / Reporter
10:44 pm on August 30, 2012

Here’s our fifth and final installment just hours before the 53-man roster is finalized.

The names of some players who won’t be on the roster to start the season have already begun to trickle out. That makes this list a little easier to compose. But, as coaches will tell you, nothing is set in stone. And even when the 53 is established, there will be changes.

And soon.

Quarterbacks (3)
Tony Romo
Kyle Orton
Stephen McGee
Comment: Could the Cowboys get by with only two quarterbacks? Sure. Should that spot go to another position that has been hit by injuries? That argument is strong. But the preference of the Cowboys and head coach Jason Garrett is to keep three quarterbacks.

Running backs (5)
DeMarco Murray
Felix Jones
LawrenceVickers
Phillip Tanner
Lance Dunbar
Comment: The Cowboys were looking forDunbarto give them a reason to keep him on the roster. He did that in the final pre-season game.

Wide receiver (6)
Dez Bryant
Miles Austin
Kevin Ogletree
Andre Holmes
Cole Beasley
Dwayne Harris
Comment: One of these players suddenly loses a spot if there is a veteran receiver released from another team that the Cowboys can claim.

Tight ends (3)
Jason Witten
John Phillips
James Hanna
Comment: The odds are still against Jason Witten being ready to play in Week One, but he will be back sooner rather than later.

Offensive line (8)
Tyron Smith
Doug Free
Mackenzy Bernadeau
Nate Livings
Phil Costa
David Arkin
Jermey Parnell
Derrick Dockery
Comment: This is less than the Cowboys have gone with in the past and could grow if the team finds a backup tackle on the waiver wire it likes.

Defensive line (7)
Jay Ratliff
Jason Hatcher
Kenyon Coleman
Tyrone Crawford
Sean Lissemore
Josh Brent
Marcus Spears
Comment: None of the young players showed enough to warrant pushing either Spears or Coleman off the roster. That doesn’t mean both will remain part of this group all season.

Linebackers (8)
DeMarcus Ware
Anthony Spencer
Sean Lee
Bruce Carter
Dan Connor
Victor Butler
Alex Albright
Kyle Wilber
Comment: The Cowboys will cross their fingers and hope that they can add Adrian Hamilton to the practice squad.

Secondary (10)
Brandon Carr
Morris Claiborne
Barry Church
Gerald Sensabaugh
OrlandoScandrick
Mike Jenkins
Mario Butler
Mana Silva
Danny McCray
Matt Johnson
Comment: The club must carry an extra player here to start the season because of injuries to Jenkins, McCray and Johnson.

Specialists (3)
Dan Bailey
Chris Jones
LP Ladouceur
Comment: No surprises here.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Barring any last-minute changes, ex-SMU WR Cole Beasley and WR Andre Holmes will make Cowboys’ final roster
By Brandon George / Reporter
7:41 pm on August 30, 2012

IRVING — Ex-SMU receiver Cole Beasley and receiver Andre Holmes weren’t two of the Cowboys brought in Thursday and told they would be released Friday. Barring any last-minute changes, Beasley and Holmes will be on the Cowboys’ final 53-man roster when it’s officially set at 8 p.m. Friday.

How much of a sure thing is it that Beasley makes the final roster? Well, he’s in the process of switching uniform numbers from No. 14 to No. 11. Quarterback Rudy Carpenter had worn uniform No. 11 before he was told Thursday that he would be released.

Beasley left the team during training camp for a 48-hour period and contemplated quitting football before returning. He led the Cowboys in receiving during the preseason with seven catches for 104 yards and gives quarterback Tony Romo a reliable option from the slot position.

The Cowboys like Holmes’ upside. He’s 6-4 and has improved throughout training camp. He started training camp by failing the conditioning test, however.

 

[Irving Cowboy]

Source: Cowboys rookie S Matt Johnson to be on active roster
By Rainer Sabin / Reporter
6:33 pm on August 30, 2012

IRVING — Cowboys rookie safety Matt Johnson has been told he will be on the team’s active roster, a league source said.

There was speculation that Johnson could be placed on injured reserve at the outset of the season, but the source said the fourth-round pick will be among the 53 who survive the final cut despite appearing in only one preseason game.

For Johnson, his entry into the NFL hasn’t gone smoothly. Classes at Eastern Washington delayed Johnson’s participation in full-team off-season practices until the final day of mini-camp. Then Johnson suffered a left hamstring injury before the beginning of training camp.

He practiced for the first time in full pads on Aug. 15 and didn’t make his preseason debut until last Saturday in the Cowboys’ 20-19 victory over St. Louis. However, during that game, Johnson said he experienced tightness in his right hamstring.

“It’s disappointing. … We’ll just get on top of it and try to get it as healthy as soon as I can,” Johnson said after the game.