Dallas Cowboys release Evan Oglesby

by Dave Halprin on Sep 2, 2008 7:00 PM CDT in News Comment 21 comments

With Keith Davis signing tomorrow, the Cowboys had to dump a player. Evan Oglesby was the unfortunate Cowboy.

[Keith] Davis will officially sign his contract with Dallas before Wednesday's practice, making this his third stint with the club in a five-year span. The club made room on its 53-man roster by releasing cornerback Evan Oglesby, who had one of the best training camps of any player.

OK, I’ve been saying it for a while now, if they keep Alan Ball over Evan Oglesby, they must believe that Ball has a ton of special teams potential yet unrealized. Because no observer of training camp or the preseason could plausibly state that Ball outplayed Oglesby. Quite the contrary, Ball was a disaster as a CB with more penalties and mistakes than plays made. Oglesby at least was an occasional playmaker. But with the 6^th CB, special teams often wins. And of course, there’s the real issue:

There's also the matter of money. Oglesby, a restricted free agent after this season, would have cost the Cowboys more than a million bucks to keep him next season. That's more than Ball will cost the next two seasons combined ($370,000 this season, $460,000 in '09).

I guess I should have followed the old maxim: Follow the money.

Hat tip to Barrett14 for posting the news in this FanPost.

[UPDATE] To be clear, I don't think they kept Ball over Ogelsby just because of money. I think they looked at two guys who were at the bottom of the roster and weighed the pros and cons. Oglesby is the better corner now but may not get any reps if the rest of the corners stayed healthy. Ball is not ready to play corner, but they think he can contribute on special teams. Then they looked at the contracts and decided that Ball being signed for the next couple of years at bottom rates vs. Oglesby being up for renewal next year as another reason to stick with Ball. Still, I would have rather kept Erik Walden than either of them.

This story still makes no sense to me.

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totally confused

what’s the point of having a guy come in & completely out play someone & then get released because of money……why bring oglesby in if you are just going to cut him because he will cost you more money…….didn’t they know that from the very beginning.

oglesby played his way on the team & then they cut him because of money………this was the guy that deion sanders was raving about before training camp began……he felt this kid had a lot of potential.

oh well so much for training camp

by cjroy126 on Sep 2, 2008 7:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good point

Maybe they wanted to see more out of him. Say he outplayed Scandrick for the 5th spot, then they keep him. But combine the fact that he was the 6th CB, and the injuries to the ST gunners, they probably felt like it’s better to go with the less expensive Ball, who can play gunner position, and could still have potential at CB. IMO

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Sep 2, 2008 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's Safe to Say

The plan to flip Oglesby for a draft pick blew up in their face. The didn’t get the pick, and gambled and lost their plan to sneak Walden on the practice squad.

Let’s just hope they can harvest some picks for Marten or McQuistan.

:-(

I’m not as opposed as most to signing Bollinger. The pickings are pretty slim at this point, although Quinn Gray was a fine value.

by kindablue on Sep 2, 2008 7:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Simms vs Bollinger

I read a recent report that the Ravens didn’t like what they saw when they worked out Simms and signed some absolute no name … still, its hard to imagine Simms isn’t a much stronger backup then Bollinger.

by ksacto on Sep 2, 2008 7:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

really, who cares about our 3rd qb anyway

we’re probably going to draft a qb to groom as Johnson’s successor anyway, Bartel, Bollinger, whats the difference.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Sep 2, 2008 8:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What if Johnson is going to retire after the season?

That would be a reason to get a 3rd QB (with real some potential) in here for a year to learn the offense and then step into the backup role next season.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Sep 2, 2008 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but they all have the same ability

If Simms, Gray or anyone else was good enough to be a legit backup qb they wouldn’t have been cut. All I’m saying is that there is no difference in talent with all these guys, they’re all the same.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Sep 2, 2008 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree..

but Bollinger can not be out long term answer for #2……………..no friggin way…I’d draft a top round QB next season….2nd-3rd rounder…..

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

"If you don’t take him off the field as a coach, he will just about die out there," Jerry Jones said. "That impacted my decision. It’s a Michael Irvin-type work ethic. That’s what we are talking about with Felix Jones."
- Owner/G.M of the Dallas Cowboys , Jerry Jones

by BoyzRback on Sep 2, 2008 9:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bollinger

Under Garrett and Wilson could be just fine as a back-up..

I would rather us use those high picks on OL, WR, and ILB

"If you see me up in the mountains with a lion, I ain't lyin
don't help me, help the mountain lion"

by Wmillion on Sep 2, 2008 10:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't see all the Oglesby Angst

They have (probably in order): Newman, Henry, Jones, Jenkins, Scandrick. Ball is a Special Teamer. As would Oglesby! Why pay double for a guy who isn’t really a solid ST player and wouldn’t crack the top 5? Not seeing the argument.

Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.

by dunkman on Sep 2, 2008 9:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

With real football finally so close who gives a crap about scrub a vs scrub b?

by Billito on Sep 2, 2008 9:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah

the fact that we’re worried about our #7 CB position says a lot about the improved state of our DBs this season!

In the short term, with 5 very competent CBs in front of them, neither one was going to see many if any snaps at CB without significant injuries, but Ball will see the field on special teams where O probabaly wouldn’t.

In the long term, Ball is taller, faster, younger and cheaper, so he is the better choice developmentally as well.

As I think about it, I can see their sense in making this choice.

I do hope O gets a shot somewhere.

by scottmaui on Sep 2, 2008 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

he'll get his shot....

i think he’s better than most 3rd CB’s and certainly a 4th CB on any other team out there…

A true diehard Cowboys fan since 1975.

by BoyzRback on Sep 2, 2008 10:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

he’s probably better than our 3rd & 4th CBs last year

by scottmaui on Sep 2, 2008 10:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get why they are bringing a guy like Bollinger in

I don’t think anybody believes that he will take over for BJ this year and if BJ retires after this season, I don’t know if I could see this guy beating out Bartel during TC next year. Why waste the time and roster spot when he will probably still be available during the off season next year. If they are serious about bringing a guy in for a 3rd QB who can take over as the #2 next year, why not Gray? Everything I’ve seen from him (in the regular season and pre-season with the Colts) makes me believe that he is the best option out there right now.

"So you can’t stiff arm at all? What about the throat?"- Marion "Barbarian" Barber

by DC_fan on Sep 2, 2008 10:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

I hear you…given that everyone is equally perplexed here, I guess the scouts just think Bollinger is better than Simms or Gray or whomever. While I haven’t seen any play by Bollinger’s part to warrant that decision, I’m not a pro scout.

And, by the way, I don’t think the team is infallible or anything. I just think that’s the best explanation of it we’re going to get.

by grapejoos on Sep 2, 2008 11:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think so too

Personally I think Bollinger sucks, and would rather have Gray, Harrington or Simms, but if Garrett likes BB enough to take a good look and thinks he’s the best fit, well I’ll trust he knows what he’s doing.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003

by APerfectStar on Sep 2, 2008 11:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The only thing I can think of

is that BJ played with Bollinger in MInny so he must have an inside scoop on the guy’s talent.

by Billito on Sep 3, 2008 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea, i guess i get it...

when we are talking about the 6th corner and the third string QB, other factors MUST help make the decision…. as in salary….

if we get to the point where our 6th corner OR our third QB have to be on the filed for anything really meaningful we are probaby in really big trouble anyway…

by stephena on Sep 2, 2008 10:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

update

yeah, I agree with that last part in the update, Grizz. I can understand why for short- and long-term reasons they went with Ball over Ogelsby, but they should have just released O on Saturday and kept Walden (rather than trying to get cute and hope for a trade for O and hoping W would slip through waivers, which I think must be what happened).

by scottmaui on Sep 2, 2008 11:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs