With the 2017 cut day scheduled for tomorrow, but cuts potentially coming today as well, I wanted to get out this final projection of the Dallas Cowboys’ 53-man roster for 2017. This is the roster I believe they will have for Week One of the regular season.
Because it is the Week One roster, we have to account for suspensions. Here is a summary of the Cowboys’ suspension situation as it currently stands:
- DE Randy Gregory, indefinite (substance violations) *CONFIRMED*
- RB Ezekiel Elliott, 6 games (domestic violence) *CONFIRMED*
- DL David Irving, 4 games (PED violation) *CONFIRMED*
- DE Damontre Moore, 2 games (substance violation) *CONFIRMED*
- CB Nolan Carroll, 2 games (DWI arrest) (probable)
- LB Damien Wilson, ? games (Assault arrest) (probable)
As you already know, Ezekiel Elliott’s suspension is in a volatile state right now. Even if the appeal knocks it down to just a couple of games, that still means he won’t playing in Week One. However, if Elliott decides to take the NFL to court and can get the injunction in time, he may be able to play until that process is complete. For the purpose of this article, and based on my belief that we are headed to a legal battle, I am going to include him on this projection.
I’m surprise that we don’t have ruling yet on the Nolan Carroll or Damien Wilson suspension. Carroll’s is especially odd since it happened back in May and is a pretty clear-cut DWI case. Wilson’s may be delayed because it’s a more serious and complex issue, though when did the NFL suddenly start caring what happened in the courts?
For now, since we don’t have anything official yet, Carroll and Wilson are on the Week One roster. Along with Elliott, that leaves 50 more spots. Who got them? Who didn’t? Let’s find out!
Quarterbacks (3)
Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Kellen Moore
CHANGES: None
This has been the preseason of Cooper Rush, easily the biggest story and biggest riser on the team over the last four weeks. Starting August as an undrafted rookie who would be lucky to make the practice squad, Rush has secured a spot on the roster and perhaps even supplanted Kellen Moore as the team’s primary backup.
The question now is if the team decides to keep Moore. As much as I personally feel he should be cut so the roster spot is freed up for another position, Kellen has a strong advocate in offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and has more NFL years than Dak and Rush combined. I think they will keep him around, at least initially, to help his younger teammates.
Running Backs (5)
Ezekiel Elliott, Darren McFadden, Alfred Morris, Rod Smith, Keith Smith (FB)
CHANGES: Added Elliott
I am going long here because of the threat that Elliott may be lost at some point during the season. If Zeke isn’t ready to start Week One, they will just go with the other four guys and have an extra roster spot to use elsewhere.
Dallas would likely lose Rod Smith if they tried to get him to the practice squad. He’s still just 25-years-old, had a strong preseason, and would be attractive to more than one style of offense. They would also likely lose Alfred Morris if he was put on waivers. Therefore, they have to go long to secure their assets and insurance policies.
Receivers (6)
Dez Bryant, Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, Brice Butler, Ryan Switzer, Noah Brown
CHANGES: Added Noah Brown
Because I think Rico Gathers is going to injured reserve to start the year (more on that below), a roster spot is open to secure sixth-round rookie Noah Brown. While still raw in many ways, Brown’s physical skills are hard to let go. He reminds you of Dez Bryant with how he moves, especially once the ball is in his hands. He also has the physicality to contribute on special teams.
Brice Butler went into camp with uncertainty but locked up his spot was a great summer. He’s in a much better position to help the Cowboys win games, especially if an injury happens to the top three guys. You don’t let those guys go when you’re eyeing a Super Bowl.
Tight Ends (3)
Jason Witten, James Hanna, Geoff Swaim
CHANGES: Removed Rico Gathers (Injured Reserve)
There’s a good chance that this is the last time, after 15 years, that I will be putting Jason Witten on a roster projection. Just thought I’d mention that. *sniff*
Rico Gathers has been dealing with a concussion for over two weeks. Because of this, I think the Cowboys put him on Injured Reserve. They will have the option to bring him back after eight weeks if he’s ready to go. This works out fairly well for the Cowboys as it secures Gathers spot with the team but also lets them have a roster spot to use somewhere else, like we saw with Noah Brown.
Offensive Tackles (3)
Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, Emmett Cleary
CHANGES: None
Collins’ move from guard to tackle has been locked in for months now and he should be a darn good one by the end of the year. He’s already shown pass protection skills that Doug Free never had. There will be bumps along the road, but the upside is tremendous.
Cleary stabilizes the depth chart as a capable swing tackle. We saw him do well last season in some limited duty and now he’s had even more time in the system. Chaz Green also provided some security with his tackle experience. As you’ll see, position flexibility is a key for this year’s offensive line depth.
Guards (3)
Zack Martin, Jonathan Cooper, Chaz Green
CHANGES: Removed Byron Bell
Bell is another guy the Cowboys may want to keep over that third QB. He provides depth at both guard and tackle. He also gives insurance to Green’s ongoing problems with staying healthy. However, the numbers crunch right now doesn’t work in Bell’s favor.
I think Dallas was rooting for Green, the third-round pick in 2015, to win the left guard position. But his chronic injuries make it hard to trust him with a starting role. Like last year, he will provide versatile depth and could still be in competition with Cooper as the season progresses.
That means Dallas will turn to Jonathan Cooper, the seventh-overall pick in 2013, to replace Ronald Leary. The fact he hasn’t one the job outright yet is a concern, but I think Dallas saw him as the fail-safe. They have confidence he can start and were just seeing if Green, the younger upside option, could beat him out. After a disappointing career so far, playing between Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick will give Cooper every opportunity to finally realize his potential.
Centers (2)
Travis Frederick, Joe Looney
CHANGES: None
Looney’s ability to play guard or center is just another big help to the line depth. I was actually surprised he didn’t get looks at left guard this summer, but he’s in that same role that Mackenzy Bernadeau had for several years. Looney is a big reason why Dallas can afford to let Byron Bell go.
That Frederick guy isn’t too shabby, either.
Defensive Ends (5)
DeMarcus Lawrence, Benson Mayowa, Charles Tapper, Taco Charlton, Lewis Neal
CHANGES: None
Lewis Neal, who can play both outside end and inside tackle, gets a roster spot thanks to suspensions. He should at least be here at least through Damontre Moore’s two-game ban. If there are any new injuries, he may be able stick around through David Irving’s four-game absence and perhaps even longer.
Lawrence is the only end with a clear starting role and larger chunk in the rotation. How the others will be used may depend a lot on matchups and perhaps who simply has the hot hand at a given moment. The end result will likely be no one player with a high sack total, but hopefully Rod Marinelli will be able to increase the team’s pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year.
Defensive Tackle (4)
Tyrone Crawford, Maliek Collins, Stephen Paea, Cedric Thornton
CHANGES: None
These top four were never in doubt. Neither Jordan Carrell or Joey Ivie, the Cowboys two seventh-round rookies, have done enough to threaten one of the veterans. Lewis Neal’s ability to play inside, as well as David Irving’s when he gets back, leaves no real need for more DT depth. One of Carrell or Ivie, if not both, will be on the practice squad.
Stephen Paea, new to the team as a veteran free agent, has moved past Cedric Thornton and will likely be starting on the base defense. He will be the nose tackle in short-yardage formations and appears to be a strong replacement for Terrell McClain. The combination of Paea and a sophomore Maliek Collins could be the best DT pairing we’ve had in a while.
Linebackers (7)
Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, Anthony Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Justin Durant, Kyle Wilber, Mark Nzeocha
CHANGES: Added Wilson
The Cowboys got good news that Anthony Hitchens’ knee injury, which at first appeared season-ending and then became an eight-week issue, may now be even less severe. They will likely keep him on the roster and as a gameday inactive until he’s ready to return. Justin Durant figures to play more in his absence.
I think rookie Joseph Jones will go to the practice squad and may get called up if and when Damien Wilson gets suspended. Hopefully by then, Hitchens will be back and Jaylon Smith will be taking on more responsibility. If it comes quickly, Dallas may need to look for a veteran free agent.
Cornerbacks (5)
Orlando Scandrick, Anthony Brown, Nolan Carroll, Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis
CHANGES: Removed Marquez White and Duke Thomas, Added Carroll
Duke Thomas would’ve probably made the team if not for his knee injury, which should put him on Injured reserve. I don’t think the team will have room for Marquez White, who would be more of a security stash then someone who could really help you this year. He will hopefully make it to the practice squad and may get called up whenever Carroll has to serve his DWI suspension.
The Cowboys are going to have to live dangerously with Awuzie and Lewis as their depth. Chidobe only played in one preseason game and Lewis will have had none. Hopefully the practice field gave them enough to be able to perform. Dallas will lean heavily on Scandrick, Brown, and Carroll early in the year.
Safeties (4)
Byron Jones, Jeff Heath, Kavon Frazier, Xavier Woods
CHANGES: None
Jeff Heath will be starting in Week One but may not be by Week 17. Rookie Xavier Woods keeps making plays and may be pushing Heath out as the season goes along. Both Woods and Kavon Frazier have had good summers and allow the Cowboys to not keep veteran Robert Blanton.
Whoever else is playing at safety, the real key this year is development from Byron Jones. Entering his third season, Jones needs to take the next step from “solid” to “star” in the Cowboys defense. He will make life better for everyone, and especially his fellow starting safety, if he become an elite presence.
Specialists (3)
Dan Bailey (K), Chris Jones (P), L.P. Ladouceur (LS)
CHANGES: None
One the league’s best specialist trios is back again. Bailey and Jones are both signed for several years to come and Ladouceur will only be gone when he decides to hang up the cleats. If Ryan Switzer can finally become a consistent weapon as a the return man, life will be good and easy for coach Rich Bisaccia.
K Moore vs C Rush:
I am not so sure K Moore won’t be the 2nd team QB in 2017. The coaches are seeing things somewhat differently than the sports writers and fans. K Moore has played well in practices from everything I can tell. C Rush has not played as well as K Moore in practices and he was playing 3rd team and K Moore 2nd team for most of the practices. K Moore played as well or better than C Rush in the first preseason game and again K Moore was playing 2nd team and C Rush 3rd team. K Moore didn’t look very good in the Rams and Colts games. However we don’t know how the coaches evaluated the performance/outcome to determine how much was K Moore’s responsibility vs other factors such as how good was the defenses, why did K Moore check down on almost every play in the Rams game, how well did the receivers play and offensive lines, how many times was K Moore in a tough situation, etc.
C Rush played nothing but outstanding (May have set a new stat record for a rookie in preseason) but mostly at 3rd team. What the fans don’t realize is there is a big difference between 2nd team and 3rd team. C Rush also ended up playing well at 2nd team but only for about one quarter in the last preseason game. He also struggled at first put eventually pulled it out. It could have easily gone the other way.
K Moore is more of the veteran and C Rush is a rookie and in a development process. The coaches who express a lot of confidence in K Moore especially his knowledge and ability to know what to do, may feel more comfortable with him running the Dallas bus, than a rookie. K Moore is probably considered less likely to make mistakes or bad decisions and also more capable of making the potent Dallas offensive machine run well.
Practice??? We talkin bout Practice?? Last I looked games matter more than practice and in that competition it’s not even close! Did you even watch the games? Kellen Moore played like a rookie, the stage which was too big and the lights too bright! And the next person that uses Kellen Moore’s big brain to tout his superiority I’m just gonna smack him! I never once saw a brain throw a football. I have, however seen Kellen Moore…and it ain’t pretty!
Fans are fickle, thank goodness the coaches are doing the evaluations and making the decisions. Yes, practice and how the player performed in practice does count as part of the preseason evaluation. Here is the difference between you and the coaches. The coaches have seen every play K Moore has ever made, multiple times, the coaches also from watching film can determine if the QB made a good decision, good throw or bad decision, bad throw no matter whether it was completed or not. The coaches understand the defenses and defensive players and whether the defensive player made a good play or not. They also understand the QB and whether he made the right read or not and picked the right receiver or threw the ball away appropriately. The coaches can also assess whether a QB is under pressure or has the time to throw. I am sure there is more also. The fans on the other hand mostly just see the pass and completion or incompletion and stats after the game to judge the player.
I will be the first to say that the coaches know infinitely more than I about Kellen Moore. It would be ludicrous to think otherwise. And since I am a fan (with knowledge) I am sharing my “fan’s perspective.”. Neither George Johnson or the Cowboys coaching staff will sway my opinion on Moore. He was a great college QB that is a sub-average to average, at best NFL QB. Funny you say that Rush struggled at first against the 2’s playing the Raiders. He was 12-13 for 115 yards and 2TD’s for 148 QB rating! The pocket collapsed, they knocked the ball from his hands and he came right back out and lit them up. That is what good QB’s do. Meanwhile, Moore comes in goes 2-4 for 10 yards (2.5 YPA). Yes, practices are important, but the results on the field are more important. And for the record, Cooper Rush looked pretty good in practice too!
I will just say S Linehan, who should be one of the top QB experts in the world, says (paraphrased) K Moore can play in the NFL. He also said his arm is strong enough. He said he compensates for his physical limitations with his pocket passing skills/abilities to get the job done. He said he is very accurate and uses uncanny anticipation. He recently said he is like a machine. He also said he is like a veteran even though he has not played much because of his knowledge and knowing exactly what to do. S Linehan has confidence in K Moore and picked him to be the 2nd team QB going into 2016 and 2017.
Scott Linehan has worked with K Moore for four years so should know his every strength and weakness backwards and forwards. So I will take the QB expert’s conclusions over yours. I also know the coaches don’t think K Moore suddenly lost his skills/abilities in the Rams/Colts games and the one possession in the Oakland game.
Linehan’s love of Moore is well documented so I don’t need a primer of the Linehan/Moore love fest. First of all coaches say a lot of things. Some which may be true and valid and some is to show outward belief in a player to build confidence. I believe Linehan probably believes all of those things. I don’t happen to share his opinion. I don’t hate Kellen Moore…seems to be a nice guy and probably has a future in the league as a coach but doubtful as a player. Pretty much every writer has stated that if Moore was to be released there would be no takers. That tells you all you need to know about what everyone not named Linehan thinks. And really, I don’t ask you or anyone else to agree with my opinion. It is simply that…my opinion, based on thoughtful observation.
S Linehan is making a career out of being an NFL coach. S Linehan’s credibility and reputation are on the line backing K Moore if he can’t play.
It could be that K Moore has such good pocket passing skills/abilities that he can overcome or compensate for his serious physical limitations to play in the NFL. If he does this it may be the first time in NFL history that someone with his set of physical limitations was able to play effectively in the NFL. Just the fact he is still in the NFL with his serious physical limitations has something to do with his outstanding pocket passing skills/abilities less a real strong arm. Now in the Rams and Colts games those skills/abilities looked like they were basically gone. I don’t know what happened but I am sure he didn’t suddenly lose his skills/abilities.
could put Hitchens on IR depending on chances he comes back faster than 8 weeks. that means Joseph in.
still think Moore should be PS so we can have open spot for un-named FA cut from another team.
Hitchens won’t be on IR because he is coming back much quicker than we thought. IR takes him out 8 games.
IMO, we should start having only 52 spots so that we leave an open spot for un-named cut from another team
We can still name 53 and bring a guy in and cut the 53rd. It’s ok.