BTB front page writer Joey Ickes published an article this week looking at the young defensive end prospects currently in Seattle and St. Louis who could come in and give this team quality snaps before the return of Anthony Spencer and Demarcus Lawrence in mid-season. Today I thought I'd take a look at some of the linebackers currently on other rosters that the Cowboys could have an eye on based on scheme fits and scouting history.
For the Cowboys and other teams dealing with injuries and questions of depth on defense, the news from the NFL that the practice squad will be expanded from 8 to 10 spots this week cannot come at a better time. By making the announcement well before teams have to cut down to 53 players and even before the initial preseason cut, the league is giving teams more time to plan where they will 'stash' young and developing talent while keeping enough healthy bodies at each position. For Rich Bisaccia's special teams coverage units to work, for example, it will be very hard for the Cowboys to carry less than 7 linebackers with special teamer Cameron Lawrence likely to be the 7th linebacker.
While a starting trio of Kyle Wilber-Rolando McClain-Bruce Carter with Justin Durant and rookie Anthony Hitchens providing depth at Mike and Will looks solid, the Cowboys probably don't want to see Cameron Lawrence on the field in coverage during the regular season if any of the starters got hurt. Devonte Holloman was supposed to provide the Cowboys with depth at Mike after the Boys gave the former college safety more snaps there and less at SAM during the offseason. But a neck injury suffered during the preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens could shut Holloman down for this season and potentially threaten his pro football career.
So with that introduction out of the way, here are five players I'd have my eye on that the Cowboys could be looking to poach and/or pick up off other teams waivers for the Dallas 10-man practice squad:
1 Tank Carder Cleveland Browns 3-4ILB/SAM 4-3LB 3rd year veteran
Tank Carder played for coach Gary Patterson at Texas Christian University in the Horned Frogs 4-2-5 scheme. NFL Draft Scout had him listed as the 6th ranked ILB in the 2012 draft class. The 25-year-old is currently 4th on the ILB depth chart in Cleveland and the Browns might be willing to part with him in return for OT Jermey Parnell to improve their OT depth or wide receiver LaRon Byrd. Since there's likely to be more talented receivers than veteran tackles available Labor Day weekend the Browns may be more likely to do a deal for Parnell than Byrd.
Carder would likely backup Kyle Wilber at SAM and be a core special teamer in Dallas. Carder missed practice time with a foot injury last week but if it's not serious the Cowboys could call up Cleveland sooner rather than later to trade for him.
2 Xavius Boyd Buffalo Bills 4-3SLB Rookie UDFA - Western Kentucky
Boyd was a small school SAM linebacker who shined at the East-West Shrine Game this year and was reportedly a player Cowboys scouts had their eyes on. He was also a ballhawk at his Division 1-A level. The 6"2 239 ib Boyd looks to have a good opportunity to make the 53 in Buffalo. The Bills are stacked at offensive tackle so the Cowboys could offer the Bills LaRon Byrd in return for the rookie linebacker. Again Boyd could come in and claim the backup SAM spot with the potential to stick around there next year, saving the Cowboys a mid-round pick that could be used on another position,
3 James Morris New England Patriots 4-3SLB Rookie - Iowa
James Morris was one of those guys who excelled at the Big 10's other 'Linebacker U' but went undrafted out of Iowa due to questions about his speed. However Morris was a tackling machine in college and he's currently buried on the Patriots depth chart.. The Cowboys already traded Ben Bass to New England for 2nd year corner Justin Green and Jason Garrett is known to admire how the Pats system on offense, defense and special teams. If you asked me would I rather have Cameron Lawrence or James Morris as a special teams captain on this roster the answer would be obvious.
4 Glenn Carson Arizona Cardinals 3-4ILB/4-3SLB Rookie - Penn State
Carson was another Big 10 tackling machine like Morris that many thought would be a 7th round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, most likely for a 3-4 team like Arizona. Carson made a lot of plays at Penn State and would be a highly capable backup at the SAM position and add another valued hitter/blocker to Bisaccia's special teams units.
5 Justin Jackson Minnesota Vikings 4-3WLB Rookie - Wake Forest
Jackson was a player I thought the Cowboys would draft in the 7th round or bring in as a UDFA to compete for a backup Will linebacker job, especially since the Cowboys already have one Demon Deacon linebacker on the roster in Kyle Wilber. Jackson was cut by the Detroit Lions who certainly could use more linebacker depth and is currently listed behind a lot of talented linebackers on the Vikings roster, so he could be a waiver wire pickup or wind up on the Dallas practice squad alongside 7th round draft pick Will Smith.
Honorable mentions:
Jonathan Brown R-UDFA Illinois 3-4ILB Arizona Cardinals - SLB
Zach Orr - R-UDFA North Texas (DeSoto HS) 3-4ILB Baltimore Ravens - MLB
Corey Nelson - R-UDFA Oklahoma (Dallas Skyline HS) WLB Denver Broncos -WLB
Out of all of these players getting Boyd, Carson or Jackson on the 53 would make me happiest. But a veteran like Carder could fill an immediate need while providing decent coverage should he have to take snaps at SAM linebacker. It will be interesting to see whether the Cowboys front office decides to wait until 53 man roster cuts or makes a move via trade for one of these guys.