Wide Receiver Devin Smith is quietly putting himself into contention to make the Dallas Cowboys final 53-man roster. He’s flown under the radar pretty much all offseason, but he starting to make a name for himself in the first two preseason games. Will it be enough to make the cut?
The first thing you really need to know is how many WRs the Dallas Cowboys plan to keep on the 53-man roster. Typically they only keep five or six and with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Randall Cobb, and probably Tavon Austin locked in right now it leaves may be two spots up for grabs.
Two spots doesn’t seem like enough does it? The Cowboys have a few young WRs who have caught the coaching staff’s attention at some point this offseason. Jon’Vea Johnson, Jalen Guyton, and Reggie Davis have all turned a few heads in practices, but unfortunately have yet to carry that over into the preseason. That’s good news for No. 15, who is trying to resurrect his career.
Devin Smith, a former 2015 second-round pick by the New York Jets, unfortunately had a run of bad luck earlier in his career. He was considered a star receiver coming out of Ohio State, but multiple ACL injuries have thus far robbed him of making his stamp in the NFL. Sadly, he has only 10 receptions for 135 yards and one touchdown in his professional career.
Devin Smith knows he’s going to have to stand out in order to stick with the Dallas Cowboys this season. He also knows his opportunities to do that are going to be few and far between, which might be why he is doing everything within his power to put some good tape on film in preseason. Fortunately for him, I don’t think it’s going unnoticed.
Smith has arguably been the most consistent Cowboys WR the first two preseason games. He not only is leading the team in receiving yards (78), but he’s also the only one to find the end zone. That could carry quite a bit of weight when it comes to deciding who stays and who goes. Consistency is key here though.
With the exception of Michael Gallup, Devin Smith has been the most consistent WR to this point. Cedrick Wilson was looking pretty good before he was knocked out of the 49ers game with an illegal head-to-head hit, but that’s about it. No one else is really taking advantage of their opportunities.
There is a player that we probably shouldn’t forget about though, Noah Brown. The Cowboys love his ability as a blocker, but he has yet to play in the preseason due to an injury. And, it’s unknown how he would fit into Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore’s scheme. Regardless though, Brown is an unknown part of the WR battle.
With two preseason games remaining and maybe two spots up for grabs, this WR position battle could just be heating up. It’s really going to be interesting to see how all of this shakes out when everything is said and done. But as things stand right now, you’d have a hard time convincing me Devin Smith isn’t worthy of a roster spot.
