As we're nearing the roster cut-down date on Saturday, there remains a lot of uncertainty about the backup situation on the Dallas Cowboys roster, particularly in terms of depth. Like any team in the NFL, the Cowboys do not have Pro Bowlers at every starting position, much less at the backup positions. But just how good or bad is the depth at the Cowboys backup positions?
"I don't know that we're stacked in any area," Jason Garrett said in his press conference on Tuesday. Cowboys scouts have been on the road looking at players on other teams, and while there apparently hasn't been much discussion at Valley Ranch about players from other teams yet, Garrett indicated that that will happen shortly:
"I don't think a ton of specific conversations have gone on. There have been a couple of "Hey, these guys are stacked at this position, these guys are stacked at that position, these guys are looking for this, we're stacked at that spot," that kind of thing. It's been more general, [...] and by the end of this week we'll have a lot of those conversations."
And despite Garrett saying that there will be competition at all spots, I think it's fair to say that there are some positions where depth is more of a concern than others.
On offense, QB, running back and tight end look deep enough, and a lot of the roster discussions around those spots has been about whether the Cowboys really need that much depth. Also, there have been persistent trade rumors at these positions, always a good sign when you're talking depth.
At fullback, the question seems to be less about depth and more about whether there is even one guy on the roster who could handle the job. A look at our offensive line would prompt many observers to say, "Okay, now I've seen your depth, where are your starters?" And if you're already worried about our starters on the O-line, you're probably even more scared about our backups than a 7-year old taking his first ride into a haunted house in what he will swear for the rest of his life is not an amusement park.
At receiver, depth is not an immediate concern but could quickly become one if one of the starters is injured.
On defense, it feels like there are a lot of bodies running around camp at both safety positions, but how much quality do the Cowboys really have there? The number of backup safeties they'll keep - probably no more than two - will be an indication of the depth the Cowboys see there. At corner, the question is less about the quality of the backups and more about whether the starters can pick up where they left off in 2009.
At ILB you have a couple of street free agents hoping to step in for the Cowboys' injured 2011 second round pick, and at OLB Cowboys Nation is praying every day that DeMarcus Ware stays healthy.
With the addition of a couple of free agents, the defensive line at least looks like it has some depth.
And of course, to round it all off, there's the fiasco at kicker, where the Cowboys currently have an unprecedented five players on the roster.
So as you review the quality at each position group, which one are you most worried about?