Four veteran offensive linemen the Cowboys could look to add at roster cuts

The Cowboys are only a week away from trimming their 90-man roster down to 53. With the sudden question marks surrounding the offensive line, the Cowboys may need to be more active than usual at roster cuts.

Scouring the landscape of the NFL, here are some names to watch out for. Some of these guys may be casualties of camp battles, others could be guys the Cowboys will have to trade for. Here is the Cowboys current situation and a few guys that could help them sort out their offensive line troubles:

Offensive Line

The Concerns: With the latest news regarding All-Pro center Travis Frederick being diagnosed with Guillain Barrè syndrome, the Cowboys have no timetable for his return. Though it should have no bearing on his long-term career, in the short-term the Cowboys will be rolling with Joe Looney. “Jumbo” Joe can certainly handle the job but he was also the Cowboys backup to three positions. Will the Cowboyslook to keep Frederick on the roster or will they place him on IR looking for a mid-season return? Then there is the bone bruise to All-Pro guard Zack Martin to at least consider, though he’s adamant that he’s playing. Also, All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith has missed three games in each of the last two seasons.

Cameron Fleming will handle the swing tackle duties and likely send Chaz Green to the unemployment line. The Cowboys like Kadeem Edwards but he’s really a so-so player with little experience. The Cowboys will most likely have to go long at the position with all this uncertainty. Most importantly, they’ll need to look for a veteran or two that has real starting experience.

The Candidates:

G/C Brian Schwenke, Patriots (27)

Why he may be available: The Patriots signed him on August 1st to basically be a depth player for them. He’s currently the fourth guard on their roster and essentially faces an uphill battle to make the final cut.

Why he makes sense for Cowboys: Schwenke spent the majority of his career with the Titans as a depth player. He only played on about 13% of the offensive snaps (five games) in 2017 but has started 30 career games. Right now, Schwenke would be an upgrade over Kadeem Edwards and he gives the Cowboys another Joe Looney-type that can serve multiple purposes.

Cost: He’s currently on a veteran minimum contract, one-year $790K. He won’t be subject to the waiver wire process because he’s got over four years of experience.

OG Max Garcia, Broncos (26)

Why he may be available: He started every game over the last two years and was a fourth-round pick in 2015. Last season, the Broncos signed former Cowboys guard Ronald Leary in free agency. Leary missed five games in 2017 and Connor McGovern (fifth-round pick 2016) took over at left guard. With Leary back and McGovern taking the right guard spot, Garcia is the odd man out. That makes him good trade bait to a needy team as Denver has other young talents they like too.

Why he makes sense for Cowboys: If the Cowboys want to ensure that they are absolutely covered, Garcia would be the very best option. Having started 37 games would make him very valuable to the Cowboys.

Cost: The Broncos will likely be shopping Garcia for something in return and good offensive linemen are hard to come by these days. The Cowboys would likely have to pony up a decent pick and also pay him the $1.9 million left on the last year of his deal.

C Travis Swanson, Jets (27)

Why he may be available: Swanson doesn’t have the same versatility as the guys above and Spencer Long is locked in as the starter for the Jets. Jonotthan Harrison has also passed up Swanson on the depth chart.

Why he makes sense for the Cowboys: Swanson has made 37 starts at center and was a third-round pick for the Lions in 2014. He may not have the skill set to play guard but he would be a quality grab to play center and could compete with Joe Looney. Signing Swanson would allow the Cowboys to keep Joe Looney as their primary utility backup. It would also mean the Cowboys could stick with the original plan to keep eight linemen.

Cost: Swanson only signed a one-year $1.55M deal with the Jets, the Cowboys could flip a late-round pick and absorb the contract. They could also just patiently wait and bid for him at roster cuts.

OG Chance Warmack, Eagles (26)

Why he may be available: The Eagles were hoping that Warmack would turn into something but it sadly hasn’t happened for him. Most Philadelphia writers have him missing the cut and being potentially traded. The Eagles have too many quality linemen ahead of him at this point.

Why he makes sense for the Cowboys: It makes you wonder what Paul Alexander thinks of adding another former first-round pick. This team loves to take flyers on former high draft picks and especially ones they were high on themselves. Warmack made 48 starts in four years with the Titans but missed 14 games in 2016. He also played in 11 games for the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles last season, mostly at left guard. He gives the Cowboys much more experience at guard and a better starting option should the offensive line take any more hits.

Cost: Warmack has a cap hit of $2.03M and will only cost the Eagles $875K in dead money. It’s doubtful that the Cowboys would bite on a trade especially if they can already foresee him being released. The Cowboys should feel confident in their ability to sign him.