NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
These five players may not be on the roster for the Cowboys come Week 1.
The Dallas Cowboys added talent in the 2016 NFL Draft, so just like every year there will be heated competition on the roster. Head coach Jason Garrett preaches two things continuously, competition on the roster and having players who fit the "Right Kinda Guy" mold. With rookie minicamps set to begin and OTAs following shortly after, the time of the offseason where the Cowboys have to cut down their roster is just getting started.
While the Cowboys of old got themselves into contract abyss time and time again, newer management has done a better job in terms of decision-making and that has also played into the role of the talent the Cowboys have added on this roster in recent years. With Super Bowl aspirations for this upcoming season, the Cowboys need to cut the players who are weaknesses on their roster and turn those voids into strengths. That is why these five players may have their jobs taken and find themselves not on the Cowboys' roster come Week 1.
Andrew Gachkar
Playing predominately as a replacement linebacker and as a key cog on special teams, Gachkar quietly had a productive season in a limited role. A free agent signee last offseason, Gachkar provides versatility to this defense. However, he'll be getting $1.3 million for the 2016 season and the Cowboys would benefit more by giving his roster spot to someone at a cheaper value like Keith Smith.
Dallas has said that they will not put Jaylon Smith on injured reserve. The linebacker group will be something to watch in the coming weeks and because the Cowboys have kept Smith around for as long as they have had, Gachkar may be the man who ends up receiving the boot.
Devin Street
Two players who frustrate fans on the Cowboys' roster: Terrance Williams and Street. It's a bit of an unfair assessment on Street because he didn't have a guy like Dez Bryant to take pressure off of him, but when Bryant went down with the injury, it wasn't Street who stepped up. It was newly-acquired Brice Butler. Street was seen as a guy that had nice potential, but when he's gotten the opportunity to prove himself, he's faltered.
Dallas signed Chris Brown, the Notre Dame wide receiver, in undrafted free agency. Brown can do everything Street does, if not better. However, Street is still on his rookie deal and he truly does cost next to nothing in terms of NFL value.
Kellen Moore
I know that Jerry Jones has made comments about Moore being the backup to starter the year, but I think if one thing is certain, it's that the Cowboys will be better off carrying two quarterbacks on the roster, rather than three. With Dallas deciding to keep Smith off injured reserve, the Cowboys will have a harder time pick their 53-man, well 52-man, roster. Moore had a terrific college career, but he really doesn't even have the skillset to be an above-average backup quarterback. Fourth-round pick Dak Prescott does and he'll be able to groom faster by working with the second team.
Barry Church
Remember the safety combination of Church and J.J. Wilcox? Yeah we all do. I don't know what was worse, Church missing a tackle in the open field or Wilcox taking a horrible angle in pursuit of a ball-carrier. With Byron Jones making the move to free safety, Church and Wilcox will likely have to fight for a job. But because Church is set to make over $4 million and Wilcox is still on his rookie deal at 25 years old, you'd have to think Church will be on the wrong end of things.
Let's also not forget that the Cowboys drafted Kavon Frazier in the sixth round, a guy that reminds us a lot of Church and what he is right now, a physical safety who plays in the box that struggles in pass-coverage.
Darren McFadden
This upsets me, but McFadden could very well be on the wrong side of things when the Cowboys start the season. In my opinion, having McFadden play a mentor role would be huge for Ezekiel Elliott. After all, both were unbelievably productive college players and both were No. 4 overall picks. However, McFadden is a man-blocking scheme type of runner and the Cowboys want to move away from that and run more zone-blocking looks. With Elliott and Alfred Morris both fitting that mold, as well as an athletic freak in sixth-round pick Darius Jackson, the Cowboys will realize that cutting ties with McFadden is the best option for the long term.
But because McFadden had such a productive year in 2015, maybe the Cowboys can work the phones and get some compensation for him. The problem is that he will be in the last year of his deal in 2016 and he will turn 30 before the 2017 NFL season. That will be a hard sell for opposing teams.
Follow me on Twitter: RyanRattyNFL
Continue reading...