Dallas Cowboys 2020 53-man roster projection 1.0
By Jon Machota Jul 27, 2020 19
Typically by this time of year, the Cowboys have already started training camp practices in Oxnard, California. Because of COVID-19, they weren't able to hold a rookie minicamp, minicamp or organized team activities. And a training camp with players on the field competing in pads isn't expected to start for another three weeks.
But with players officially reporting to the team facility this week for testing and virtual meetings, it at least feels somewhat like a season is in the near future. The Cowboys also officially signed their entire seven-man rookie draft class over the weekend. So to prepare you for what the possible roster could look like when the season starts, we've put together a 53-man roster projection.
QUARTERBACK (3): Under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys typically kept two quarterbacks on their final roster. That could be the case for Mike McCarthy in his first season in Dallas. However, this might be a year when it makes more sense to go deeper at the most important position. Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton are locked in on the roster as the starter and backup, respectively. Seventh-round pick Ben DiNucci will be the player on the bubble. If McCarthy sees enough upside over the next month, he could be hesitant to give another team the opportunity to sign DiNucci to their roster.
Dak Prescott
Andy Dalton
Ben DiNucci
RUNNING BACK (3): Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are the obvious top two on the depth chart. Jamize Olawale makes sense as the team's fullback for the third consecutive season. The others on the current roster include Jordan Chunn and three rookies signed after this year's draft: Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua from TCU, and Rico Dowdle from South Carolina. The Cowboys could keep one from that group, but that player is unlikely to have much impact as long as Elliott and Pollard are healthy.
Ezekiel Elliott
Tony Pollard
Jamize Olawale
WIDE RECEIVER (5): Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb are going to get the bulk of the work. There's not much reason to go deeper than five at wide receiver. So the final two roster spots will likely come down to veterans like Cedrick Wilson, Ventell Bryant, Devin Smith and Noah Brown as well as newcomers like undrafted rookie free agents Stephen Guidry (Mississippi State), Aaron Parker (Rhode Island) and Kendrick Rogers (Texas A&M). Wilson and Bryant should be enough depth to help on special teams or if one of the top three are limited or unable to play.
Amari Cooper
Michael Gallup
CeeDee Lamb
Cedrick Wilson
Ventell Bryant
TIGHT END (3): There's not much to speculate about here as long as Blake Jarwin, Blake Bell and Dalton Schultz are healthy. Others on the current roster include Cole Hikutini, who spent last season on the practice squad, and undrafted rookie free agents Sean McKeon (Michigan) and Charlie Taumoepeau (Portland State). There's no reason to keep more than three tight ends on this roster.
Blake Jarwin
Blake Bell
Dalton Schultz
OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Tyron Smith and La'el Collins are the starting tackles with Cameron Erving as the swing tackle. The starting guards will be Zack Martin on the right side and Connor Williams or Connor McGovern on the left. Joe Looney and rookie Tyler Biadasz will compete for the starting center job, with McGovern as another possibility. The final spot could come down to a young tackle like Brandon Knight or Mitch Hyatt, or guard/center Adam Redmond. Knight was the pick here because the previous coaching staff was intrigued by his upside. The new coaching staff might not feel the same way or have other plans. Either way, nine seems like a good number for this group.
Tyron Smith, OT
La'el Collins, OT
Cameron Erving, OT
Brandon Knight, OT
Zack Martin, G
Connor Williams, G
Connor McGovern, G
Joe Looney, G/C
Tyler Biadasz, C
SPECIAL TEAMS (3): The only real position battle here is between kickers Greg Zuerlein and Kai Forbath. Forbath did a nice job replacing Brett Maher late last year. Forbath made all 10 of his extra-point attempts and all 10 of his field-goal attempts, the longest coming from 50 yards. However, Zuerlein is the favorite because he has been new special teams coach John Fassel's kicker for the last eight years with the Rams. Chris Jones had a down year last year, but all indications are that he will continue to be Dallas' punter. L.P. Ladouceur is entering his 16th season as the Cowboys' long snapper.
L.P. Ladouceur, LS
Greg Zuerlein, K
Chris Jones, P
DEFENSIVE LINE (9): The final cuts here should be among the most interesting. There's been nothing new on Randy Gregory's chances of being reinstated for this upcoming season, so we're leaving him off this projection. If he was to get reinstated, he would be on the 53-man roster. The final edge rusher spot could come down to last year's fifth-round pick, Joe Jackson, and this year's fifth-rounder, Bradlee Anae. Other notable edge rushers competing for a final roster spot include Jalen Jelks, a 2019 seventh-round pick, and undrafted rookie free agents Ron'Dell Carter and Ladarius Hamilton.
DeMarcus Lawrence, DE
Dorance Armstrong, DE
Bradlee Anae, DE
Aldon Smith, DE
Tyrone Crawford, DL
Gerald McCoy, DT
Dontari Poe, DT
Trysten Hill, DT
Neville Gallimore, DT
LINEBACKER (7): With the Cowboys looking to be more multiple defensively, linebacker depth could look a little different. Will they keep seven because of the defensive depth and needed help on special teams? Will they only go with six and keep an extra defensive lineman or cornerback? Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith and Sean Lee are expected to get the bulk of the defensive work. Joe Thomas and Justin March have been key contributors on special teams. Luke Gifford and Francis Bernard are next up. That could end up being a battle for one of the final roster spots.
Leighton Vander Esch
Jaylon Smith
Sean Lee
Joe Thomas
Justin March
Luke Gifford
Francis Bernard
DEFENSIVE BACK (11): Is seven cornerbacks too many? Maybe. Wouldn't the Cowboys be better served to use one of those extra roster spots on another wide receiver, running back or defensive lineman? Maybe. But because of the uncertainty on the back end of the defense with the loss of top DB Byron Jones, it makes sense to go with an extra player here. The four safety spots are basically locked in with Xavier Woods, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Darian Thompson and Donovan Wilson. So it comes down to keeping six or seven corners. Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, Anthony Brown, Trevon Diggs and Reggie Robinson II are safe bets to make the final 53. That leaves one or two spots to fight for between veterans like C.J. Goodwin, Maurice Canady and Daryl Worley, and second-year undrafted free agent Chris Westry. Goodwin seems like a pretty good bet because of what he provides on special teams. That could end up being the final group. But maybe one of the other three play well in camp and the coaching staff decides they need to go a little deeper than usual at cornerback.
Trevon Diggs, CB
Chidobe Awuzie, CB
Jourdan Lewis, CB
Anthony Brown, CB
Reggie Robinson II, CB
C.J. Goodwin, CB
Maurice Canady, CB
Xavier Woods, S
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S
Donovan Wilson, S
Darian Thompson, S
On Facebook at Memories of...
Dallas, Dallas Public, Texas, Texas Football, Texas Basketball, Texas Music, Memories From a Texas Window. Come see us!
