Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster prediction

by Dave Halprin (Grizz) on Aug 31, 2007 1:50 PM CDT in News Comment 22 comments

Here’s is my guesstimate on the Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster. I might update it later today/tomorrow, I’m still unsure about a couple of moves. But for now, I’m going with this. My reasoning at each position is below the chart.

Pos	Offense	Pos	Defense
QB	Tony Romo Brad Johnson	NT	Jason Ferguson Jay Ratliff
RB	Marion Barber Julius Jones Tyson Thompson	DE	Chris Canty Jason Hatcher Marcus Spears Stephen Bowen
FB	Oliver Hoyte Lousaka Polite	OLB	DeMarcus Ware Anthony Spencer Greg Ellis Junior Glymph
TE	Jason Witten Anthony Fasano Tony Curtis	ILB	Bradie James Akin Ayodele Bobby Carpenter (ILB/OLB) Kevin Burnett
WR	Terrell Owens Terry Glenn Patrick Crayton Sam Hurd Miles Austin Isaiah Stanback	CB	Terence Newman Anthony Henry Aaron Glenn Jacques Reeves Joey Thomas Quincy Butler
T	Flozell Adams Marc Colombo Doug Free James Marten	SS	Roy Williams Keith Davis Abram Elam
C	Andre Gurode Cory Procter	FS	Ken Hamlin Pat Watkins
G	Leonard Davis Kyle Kosier Pat McQuistan (T/G)	P/K/LS	Mat McBriar Nick Folk L.P. Ladouceur

Practice squad

Deon Anderson
Matt Moore
John Saldi
Courtney Brown
Alonzo Coleman
Jerheme Urban
Remi Ayodele
Alan Ball

QB – Matt Moore to the practice squad. The Cowboys only keep two because they need the roster spot

RB – Easy decision.

FB – Lousaka Polite gets the edge over Deon Anderson. The rookie goes to the PS, Polite is more experienced and had a little better preseason.

TE – Easy decision.

WR – Tough one, but Jerheme Urban’s one shining moment isn’t enough to hold onto a roster spot. Miles Austin can return kick-offs and looks better as a WR in the regular offense. Edge Austin. Yes, I thought about keeping seven WR’s, but I couldn’t make it work.

OL – Unfortunately, we have to keep James Marten, who hasn’t shown much yet. That puts us in a bind at tackle, were we have to keep five. Cory Procter is the first off the bench at either center or guard, and if they need another guard Pat McQuistan could do it in a pinch. For this reason, Joe Berger is released.

DL – Stephen Bowen could become a player, I want to keep him around and someone would probably grab him if he was released. For this reason, Remi Ayodele had to go. Jay Ratliff slides over as the #2 NT and DT on the nickel/dime sets. Remi goes to the practice squad.

OLB – I kept Junior Glymph even though his play has been falling off in the preseason. With the Greg Ellis injury, we need someone else there, especially with Bobby Carpenter playing different roles on defense.

ILB – Easy decision.

CB – Another very tough one that affected other parts of the roster. With Terence Newman’s injury and the lack of stellar backups, the Cowboys need options here so I kept six. Aaron Glenn and Jacques Reeves complete the top four to me, and my guess is Reeves would see action if Newman was out; either in the nickel or starting with Glenn playing the nickel. I kept Joey Thomas because he has athletic ability and he can make plays, but he has to refine his technique and play consistently. I kept Quincy Butler because he also has athletic ability and can be the backup punt returner to Patrick Crayton.

S – Abram Elam gets the nod over Courtney Brown based on special teams play and one year of experience. Brown goes to the PS.

K – Sorry Martin Gramatica, I needed the roster spot.

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pretty good Grizz

unless a surprise vet is cut, that looks about right.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 31, 2007 2:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

wow

i did my roster earlier today and mine is exactly as yours. my practice squad was almost identical. instead of saldi, i think they will find an OL to put on there. not sure who, but they usually have at least 1 OL.

by mo on Aug 31, 2007 2:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good guesstimatation

I wish we could stick Marten on the PS to keep Cricket Anderson on the active. He should be a ST monster eventually.

I bet Glymph gets the axe if we pick up a guy off waivers.

by APerfectStar on Aug 31, 2007 3:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Looks good to me

The only thing I can take issue with is, and its nly minor, that the defensive tackle spot is thin with six only, I might cut Keith Davis as Reeves can play some free safety and use that roster spot for another defensive tackle, Remi Ayodele.

If I remember correctly, I dont think Urban Quaifies for the practice squad, thats just off the top of my head, dont hold me to that.

I might strongly consider dropping Polite for Anderson, I think Polite has reached his ceiling with this club, but other than that, I cant take any issure with your list Grizz, looks good to me, I can live with it.

by Deke on Aug 31, 2007 3:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Holy Moly!!

It's Deke. Welcome back to the fold.

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by Dave Halprin (Grizz) on Aug 31, 2007 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We won't cut Davis

He is too valuable on special teams.

by Philosopher on Aug 31, 2007 3:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah

Davis is a lock

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Aug 31, 2007 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

right on the money

I agree with you Grizz, although I would like to see Courtney Brown instead of Joey Thomas, I did not see him in ST. and Courtney at least showed something in preseason with 2 int. and can play ST as well.

doomsday

by kermit on Aug 31, 2007 3:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed, Brown instead of Thomas

Can't C. Brown be something like a "tweener" between CB and S? His INT looked really good, like, here's a DB with actual ball skills, imagine that.

by Incredifan on Aug 31, 2007 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tyson Thompson

Any word on thompson's ankle injury? he looked like he tweaked his ankle and after that he wasn't running hard.

doomsday

by kermit on Aug 31, 2007 3:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey, Grizz, on Burnett...

I note you list Carp as OLB/ILB but don't do the same with Burnett? Didn't Burnett spell Ware last season? Have they moved him permanently inside?

by Incredifan on Aug 31, 2007 4:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Pretty much

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by Dave Halprin (Grizz) on Aug 31, 2007 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Minor quibbles.

Greg Ellis will go to IR? Maybe you do that after making the cuts, or before?...I think Junior Glymph gets traded or cut...Remi Ayodele makes the team or gets traded. Lots of teams need DL help and he'd surely be picked up if cut...Joey Thomas probably gets cut...Put a TE on the practice squad, Bergen or Hannah...Put an OL (Berger?) on the team or on the practice squad...If the Cowboys want to play some tricks, they could cut Aaron Glenn (no one will pick him up at his salary), and then re-sign him.

Texas slang in a Big Apple minute, by a friendly OED consultant. http://www.barrypopik.com

by barrypopik on Aug 31, 2007 5:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I actually think

that Ellis will be put on the pup list. This will give him 6 more weeks to get heel to see if he can come back this season or not. After that 6 week period he has 2 weeks to get into football shape and be evaluated (with out affecting the 53 man roster). If he cant make it then, he will go to IR, If he can go finally, he is moved off the pup and onto the 53 man roster and will be a fresh player for the 2nd half of the season.

That's the way I would go with him.

by textaz03 on Sep 1, 2007 7:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can't go on the PUP list

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by Dave Halprin (Grizz) on Sep 1, 2007 9:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He

can't go because he was cleared by the doctors to practice. Once that happens you are not eligible anymore. Even though he never practice he still is not eligible. I believed they changed the way players are eligible for the PUP list recently. They probably did this so coaches couldn't hide players on the team for half the season.

by Cowboys81 on Sep 1, 2007 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great Job Grizz

Those are exactly who I thought would make the team. Except I would make one minor adjustment.

I would switch Joey Thomas out with Courtney Brown. Brown has a higher ceiling and Thomas is just way too inconsistent and gives his receivers too much cushion.

Burt-D

by Burt D on Aug 31, 2007 5:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

OH and one more thing

I would swith out Lou with Deon based on special teams plays. It doesn't matter if Lous is better at the FB position right now, cuz the backup FB special team work is more important than its position work. Also Deon has more potential and we don't want to lose him.

Burt-D

by Burt D on Aug 31, 2007 5:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd cut McQuistan

He has looked terrible this year and I'd rather have a guard than another tackle.

by bob maplethorpe on Aug 31, 2007 9:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

My agreement

is with nearly all your positions. I wonder if Keith Davis has done anything this year to keep his roster spot. If Anderson is as valuable then keep Anderson and cut both Davis and Polite. Polite was not cutting it or they would not 1) converted Hoyte and 2) drafted Anderson. With the extra spot (Davis) I would keep Remi and use his spot on the PS for Hannah.

by lee3022 on Aug 31, 2007 9:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Show Bilbo some love!

Damarius Bilbo had to switch positions, from college QB, to safety and then wide receiver in this Cowboys camp. He had two nice catches against the Vikings. He's from Georgia Tech.

Plus, he must go through life with the name Damarius Bilbo.

He might not make the Cowboys team, but someone in the NFL should show Bilbo some love!

Texas slang in a Big Apple minute, by a friendly OED consultant. http://www.barrypopik.com

by barrypopik on Aug 31, 2007 10:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

More on Spears

I found this tid bit on the web. It somewhat backs up what people are saying here about Hatcher being a better DE than Spears.

I’ll go ahead and put this out there right now. Jason Hatcher is YOUR starting defensive end against the Giants and for the rest of the year, as a matter of fact. I’ve seen enough of what Spears brings, and nothing has changed. The new scheme has helped Bradie James back into his stellar self again, but the results are far from the same for Marcus Spears. Hatcher on the other hand, has continued to improve, he was good last year, and looks even better this year. You want to see a steady progression, and Hatcher has surpassed Spears in all phases. Hatcher is much more explosive off the line, aggressive, and has a high motor that doesn’t stop. Time to unleash hell upon Eli Manning. Its Hatcher time baby!

by Cowboys81 on Sep 1, 2007 12:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs