There is a long time between the time the Cowboys must submit their first 53-man roster and the time the first game starts. The Cowboys must submit a 53-man roster by 3:00 pm CDT on Saturday, September 1st, but between then and 3:25 pm on Sunday, September 9th, they will undoubtedly make more more changes before starting their first game of the regular season.
Here is their likely 53-man roster on September 1st:
QB (2) - Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush
Mike White has simply not shown enough to justify keeping him on the 53-man roster. While some fans may worry about him being claimed off waivers by another team, the reality is that the QB position is the single most difficult to master, and it is highly unlikely another team claims a rookie QB who would have to learn a completely new offense to keep on their own 53 man roster. Mike White is destined for the Practice Squad. He can still run the scout team during practice each week from that position.
RB (4) - Ezekiel Elliott, Jamize Olawale, Rod Smith, Bo Scarbrough
The Cowboys thought enough of Darius Jackson to bring him back to the team. And he offers additional value on Special Teams. Jackson has some wiggle in his running style that Jackson and Smith don't have, and I believe he surprises a lot of people by making this team in 2018. The Cowboys will initially waive Jackson, but bring him back after they move Travis Frederick to Injured Reserve on September 2nd.
TE (4) - Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, Rico Gathers, Dalton Schultz
Rico Gathers is going to surprise some people by making this team. The worst thing Garrett has said about Gathers is he needs to play more. Look for the Cowboys to work Gathers into the Goal Line packages during the regular season. Cutting White at QB is what allows the Cowboys to keep Gathers on the roster. But that still doesn't mean Gathers will be on the game day roster. A trade, or waiver wire claim could displace him.
WR (6) - Michael Gallup, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley, Allen Hurns, Tavon Austin, Deonte Thompson
Gallup has won a starting job, while Williams and Beasley return as the starters at the Y and Z positions. Hurns is the backup to Gallup, Thompson backs up Williams, and Austin is the backup to Beasley. Lenoir has done enough to make the team, but needs on the offensive line cause the Cowboys to trade him for Oline help. The Cowboys would also like to keep Noah Brown on the PS. His injury undermined him in this offseason, but they still like his big body and catch radius.
OL (9) - Tyron Smith, Connor Williams, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, La'el Collins, Joe Looney, Cameron Fleming, Kadeem Edwards, Brian Schwenke(via trade)
The Cowboys will keep 9 offensive linemen on the roster September 1st. A trade of WR Lance Lenoir to the Patriots in exchange for G/C Brian Schwenke will give the Cowboys a player that can backup all 3 interior line spots. Look for Travis Frederick to be moved to the Reserve/Injured List on September 2nd, but he'll be on the first 53-man roster. The Cowboys hope to bring Frederick back November 7th before the game against the Eagles. Meanwhile, Julian Edelman is serving a 4-game suspension to start the year, and the Patriots need a WR who can be productive while he's gone. A trade of Lenoir for Schwenke makes sense for both teams. The Cowboys finally give up on the Chaz Green experiment - to the relief of many fans.
DE (5) - DeMarcus Lawrence, Randy Gregory, Charles Tapper, Taco Charlton, Dorance Armstrong
Kony Ealy hasn't done enough to make the team at DE, and with Crawford moving back inside with the emergence of Gregory as the starting RDE, there is simply not a good reason to keep Ealy. Meanwhile, Tapper could be trade bait. The Cowboys could try to move Ealy in a last minute trade.
DT (5 + 1) - Tyrone Crawford, Maliek Collins, Antwaun Woods, Brian Price, Datone Jones + David Irving (suspended)
Despite his injury in training camp, the Cowboys like what they have in Datone Jones. With Maliek Collins likely on a pitch count to start the season, the Cowboys will need Jones in the rotation. It's a guess who gets cut when David Irving returns from suspension. Ultimately, the Cowboys would like to have 8 players on the Dline, but they will go long to start the year. Despite his antics, the Cowboys have to hope that David Irving puts his immaturity behind him, and explodes when he returns. A front line of Gregory, Irving, Collins, and Lawrence would terrorize NFL passers for the foreseeable future. And Crawford remains the consummate professional, able to play at all 4 Dline positions when and where needed. For those who follow the Texas Rangers, Crawford reminds us of Michael Young, who played 2nd base, then short stop, and then 3rd base for the Arlington baseball team. Crawford is the utility defensive lineman for the Cowboys. Look for the Cowboys to showcase Jihad Ward in the final two preseason games in hope of finding a trading partner.
LB (6) - Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, Damien Wilson, Joe Thomas, Leighton Vander Esch, Justin March-Lillard
The Cowboys will hope to stash Chris Covington on the Practice Squad, and perhaps bring him back to the team after post roster moves are made. The Cowboys will continue to train Vander Esch to become the heir apparent signal caller to Sean Lee, but many fans may be disappointed when he doesn't get many, if any, starts in 2018. But Vander Esch will get plenty of snaps as the Cowboys try to implement a 3-man rotation at the WILL and MIKE linebacker spots. Meanwhile, Damien Wilson has had his best ever training camp at the SAM position, and along with Thomas and March-Lillard will be a special teams mainstay.
CB (5) - Byron Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Duke Thomas
The competition for the starting slot cornerback job will continue into the season between Brown and Lewis, and is far from settled. It won't be shocking to see them share the starting job in 2018 as they continue to battle. Meanwhile, coach Kris Richard may have found himself another shutdown cornerback by moving Jones back to the cornerback position he was drafted to play. And Awuzie is a breakout player candidate in his own right. Duke Thomas has been the most consistent of the backup cornerbacks, so he gets the nod over Donovan Olumba and Charvarius Ward, who the Cowboys will try to sign to their practice squad.
S (4) - Jeff Heath, Xavier Woods, Kavon Frazier, Tyree Robinson
Heath is the starting strong safety, and he just keeps getting better. He has sideline to sideline speed, and is going to have a breakout season. Frazier is a special teams standout. Woods will be sidelined the initial game, and the Cowboys will keep Robinson on the roster for the initial game. I still believe the Cowboys are playing chicken with the Seahawks, and that the Earl Thomas trade will ultimately happen in the week leading up to game 1. The Cowboys are going to have to give up more than they want to get Thomas (including DE Charles Tapper), but if they want to actually compete for a championship, they need to swallow the bullet, and make this trade. Even so, the Cowboys will keep Robinson on the roster until Woods is ready to come back, at which time, Robinson will be waived, and signed to the practice Squad.
Opening Day September 9th roster:
Offense (25)
- QB (2) - Prescott, Rush
- RB (5) - Elliott, Olawale, R.Smith, Scarbrough, Jackson
- TE (4) - Swaim, Jarwin, Gathers, Schultz
- WR (6) - Gallup, T.Williams, Beasley, Austin, Hurns, Thompson
- OL (8) - T.Smith, C.Williams, Looney, Z.Martin, L.Collins, Fleming, Edward, Schwenke (via trade)
Defense (25)
- DE (4) - Lawrence, Gregory, Charlton, Armstrong
- DT (5) - Crawford, M.Collins, D.Jones, A.Woods, Price
- LB (6) - Lee, J.Smith, D.Wilson, Vander Esch, J.Thomas, March-Lillard
- CB (5) - B.Jones, Awuzie, A.Brown, Lewis, D.Thomas
- S (5) - E.Thomas (via trade), Heath, Woods, Frazier, Robinson
Specialist (3) - Bailey, C.Jones, Ladouceur
Reserve/Suspended (1) - Irving
Reserve/Injured Designated to Return (1) - Frederick
Reserve/Injured (3) - C.Wilson, M.Martin, Showers
Practice Squad (10) - Mi.White, Covington, Olumba, C.Ward, Ohnesorge, Campos, Wells, N.Brown, Ross, Carrington, TBD
