The Cowboys have added a new offensive tackle to the roster spot vacated by Mike Hamlin today. 

News courtesy of Josh Ellis at the Mothership after the jump.

On Thursday the Cowboys added a player to fill the open spot on their 53-man roster, signing offensive tackle Jermey Parnell off the New Orleans practice squad.

Parnell joined the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi in May, 2009, and spent all of last season on their practice squad. He was released on final preseason cuts this year, and picked up by Miami, where he spent three weeks as an inactive before being released again. He re-signed with the New Orleans practice squad on Sept. 28.

The 6-6, 290-pound Parnell played four years of basketball for Ole Miss before lettering in football in 2008.

A defensive lineman his one season of college work, Parnell moved to offense last summer.

The Cowboys now have six tackles on the roster. Parnell joins starters Marc Colombo and Doug Free, veteran backup Alex Barron, second-year pro Robert Brewster and rookie sixth-rounder Sam Young.

With 5 tackles already on the roster I was very surprised to see this move.  Many thought that the person added to the team would help the special teams units, but a tackle can't help in coverage or returns. 

What this tells me is that the team cannot play Alex Barron and has absolutely no faith in Robert Brewster.  I think they're comming to terms with the fact that Colombo is not long for this league and they're desperately trying to find someone that can take over for him.  Clearly, they don't see anyone on this roster that can.

My opinion:  I'm not optimistic that a guy that played defensive line in his one-year of college football experience is going to make a great NFL offensive tackle.  If the Cowboys want to restock this offensive line it's going to take first and second round picks.