DMN Blog: Premature 53-man roster projection

[Alexander]

Premature 53-man roster projection
11:47 AM Tue, Aug 04, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon/Blogger Bio | E-mail | News tips

Here's my educated guess at the roster after final cuts next month, based on what we knew when we arrived in San Antonio and have seen through 10 practices.

QB (3)
Tony Romo
Jon Kitna
Stephen McGee

McGee wowed the Cowboys with his physical tools at the combine, but he looks cautious during his limited reps.

RB (3)
Marion Barber
Felix Jones
Tashard Choice

The only question is how to split snaps and carries between three good backs.

FB (1)
Deon "Cricket" Anderson

With the emergence of Martellus Bennett, the Cowboys won't use a fullback much, but Anderson is a key special teams contributor.

TE (3)
Jason Witten
Martellus Bennett
John Phillips

Witten is arguably the league's best tight end, but Bennett has been more impressive so far in camp. This is the Cowboys' strongest position.

WR (5)
Roy Williams
Miles Austin
Patrick Crayton
Sam Hurd
Kevin Ogletree

Isaiah Stanback's chances of sticking again decrease significantly with every practice he misses. Ogletree, an undrafted rookie, has been by far the most consistent of the players fighting for the fifth WR job.

OL (9)
Flozell Adams
Kyle Kosier
Andre Gurode
Leonard Davis
Marc Colombo
Montrae Holland
Cory Procter
Pat McQuistan
Doug Free

Ryan Gibbons, who is getting reps at guard and center, is the lineman not listed most likely to make it.

NT (2)
Jay Ratliff
Junior Siavii

Siavii gets some competition if Tim Anderson, who recovered from toe surgery faster than anticipated, starts practicing this week.

DE (5)
Igor Olshansky
Marcus Spears
Stephen Bowen
Jason Hatcher
Marcus Dixon

Dixon, who worked his way into outstanding shape, has been active and impressive enough to justify keeping five ends.

OLB (4)
DeMarcus Ware
Anthony Spencer
Brandon Williams
Victor Butler

Everybody knows Ware will dominate. Spencer and the fourth-rounders have all shown promising signs of progress.

ILB (5)
Bradie James
Keith Brooking
Bobby Carpenter
Jason Williams
Stephen Hodge

Hodge hasn't only participated in one practice, but he's a safe bet because of the expectation that he'll be an impact special teams player.

CB (4)
Terence Newman
Orlando Scandrick
Mike Jenkins
Alan Ball

If Mike Mickens doesn't pick it up, he's likely to spend the season on the practice squad. He's given up way too many big plays. Courtney Brown hasn't been as impressive as he was during OTAs and minicamp.

S (5)
Ken Hamlin
Gerald Sensabaugh
Michael Hamlin
DeAngelo Smith
Pat Watkins

I'm putting Watkins on here because he's a core special teams player. Plus, he's still getting second-team reps. Since Smith can play cornerback, the Cowboys can go one man lighter at that position if they want to keep an extra safety.

SPEC. (4)
P Mat McBriar
K Nick Folk
K David Buehler
LS L.P. Ladouceur

Buehler's leg is as strong as advertised.
===

I would be amazed if we only kept 4 CBs.

 

[casmith07]

I don't see Alan Ball making this team over Mike Mickens, regardless of how many "big plays" he's given up in 7-on-7 drills....but that's just my opinion.

 

[LucaBrasi]

I have a question regarding Ogletree, and its probably been asked or talked about on here, why wasn't this guy drafted?

It seems like he's doing well from the camp reports, he had decent production at an ACC school, had a good combine, and has good size. Seems like he would have at least gotten drafted in the 5-7th round area.

The only thing I see in his background is a knee injury in 2007 that kept him out all year. He's two years removed from that, and he played all of 2008 and received honrable mention all-ACC.

I'm anxious to see how he performs in the pre-season. Could be a real sleeper.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Replace Watkins with Mickens and I agree 100%. No way we keep only 4 DB's. Mickens makes it as the 5th CB.

 

[Smith22]

I would be amazed if we only kept 4 CBs.

Smith could be considered the 5th, but I agree, I'm not buying it. Not a Ball fan either..... I hope Mickens steps up his game.

 

[Smith22]

I have a question regarding Ogletree, and its probably been asked or talked about on here, why wasn't this guy drafted?

It seems like he's doing well from the camp reports, he had decent production at an ACC school, had a good combine, and has good size. Seems like he would have at least gotten drafted in the 5-7th round area.

The only thing I see in his background is a knee injury in 2007 that kept him out all year. He's two years removed from that, and he played all of 2008 and received honrable mention all-ACC.

I'm anxious to see how he performs in the pre-season. Could be a real sleeper.

Quick google search:

Isn't a vertical threat...Not very elusive..Not strong......A sub par blocker...Durability concerns.

Also read something about him having problems in the past with his wrists and of course, the ACL injury.

 

[VACowboy]

The only guess I have is that he declared as a junior, and early entrant wide receivers don't pan out a high percentage of the time.

 

[tchoice23]

Gibbons for McQ
Courtney Brown for Pat Watkins

 

[speedkilz88]

I have a question regarding Ogletree, and its probably been asked or talked about on here, why wasn't this guy drafted?

It seems like he's doing well from the camp reports, he had decent production at an ACC school, had a good combine, and has good size. Seems like he would have at least gotten drafted in the 5-7th round area.

The only thing I see in his background is a knee injury in 2007 that kept him out all year. He's two years removed from that, and he played all of 2008 and received honrable mention all-ACC.

I'm anxious to see how he performs in the pre-season. Could be a real sleeper.

He was in a pretty deep draft for wrs and he had a terrible qb which gave him pretty average numbers actually.

 

[LucaBrasi]

Quick google search:

Isn't a vertical threat...Not very elusive..Not strong......A sub par blocker...Durability concerns.

Also read something about him having problems in the past with his wrists and of course, the ACL injury.

Fair enough. I'm looking at 110 career receptions against quality opposition, a 4.46 forty and the best 3 cone drill at the combine for receivers, plus he's 6' and nearly 200 lbs and I'm wondering why no one even drafted him.

Not saying he's a keeper, but he certainly is intriquing. Seems as if most camp reports early on have him doing some things.

 

[speedkilz88]

I don't see Alan Ball making this team over Mike Mickens, regardless of how many "big plays" he's given up in 7-on-7 drills....but that's just my opinion.

Ball has already made the team as the main cb/fs hybrid. I still see Mickens making it unless he really has a tough time in the preseason games.

 

[theogt]

4 CBs and 5 safeties?

No chance.

 

[bbgun]

Screw Watkins. Keep somebody with some upside.

 

[VACowboy]

Isn't a vertical threat...Not very elusive..Not strong......A sub par blocker...Durability concerns.

I don't agree with all of that.

There were no "vertical threats" at UVA because there was no one on the team who could throw the ball down the field. The offense was predicated upon running the ball and tossing dinks and dunks. Ogletree was great after the catch though, and he's built like a RB, not a wideout.

 

[LucaBrasi]

I don't agree with all of that.

There were no "vertical threats" at UVA because there was no one on the team who could throw the ball down the field. The offense was predicated upon running the ball and tossing dinks and dunks. Ogletree was great after the catch though, and he's built like a RB, not a wideout.

Thanks for the input. I hope this kid makes the team.

 

[speedkilz88]

I agree with all but two.

Stanback is still ahead of Ogletree. Who performs and shows the most upside in preseason will get the 5th spot.

Mickens over Pat Watkins. They have picked up a lot of STs so that reduces the need for Pat and he is a liability on defense and is a tackle away from the IR anyway.

 

[theogt]

Screw Watkins. Keep somebody with some upside.

And if worse comes to worse, pick up Keith Davis.

 

[Alexander]

I don't see Alan Ball making this team over Mike Mickens, regardless of how many "big plays" he's given up in 7-on-7 drills....but that's just my opinion.

I don't see us keeping Watkins over Mickens. Ball and Smith are similar CB/S tweeners, I don't see why we would keep two of those types along with Watkins. I would think you would want to have at least five pure CBs and then fill out safety with the combination types.

 

[VACowboy]

Thanks for the input. I hope this kid makes the team.

Me too! I love Virginia guys playing for my beloved Cowboys!

 

[cobra]

QB (3)
Tony Romo
Jon Kitna
Stephen McGee

RB (3)
Marion Barber
Felix Jones
Tashard Choice

FB (1)
Deon "Cricket" Anderson

TE (3)
Jason Witten
Martellus Bennett
John Phillips

WR (5)
Roy Williams
Miles Austin
Patrick Crayton
Sam Hurd
Kevin Ogletree

OL (9)
Flozell Adams
Kyle Kosier
Andre Gurode
Leonard Davis
Marc Colombo
Montrae Holland
Cory Procter
Pat McQuistan
Doug Free

NT (2)
Jay Ratliff
Junior Siavii

DE (5)
Igor Olshansky
Marcus Spears
Stephen Bowen
Jason Hatcher
Marcus Dixon

OLB (4)
DeMarcus Ware
Anthony Spencer
Brandon Williams
Victor Butler

ILB (5)
Bradie James
Keith Brooking
Bobby Carpenter
Jason Williams
Stephen Hodge

CB (4)
Terence Newman
Orlando Scandrick
Mike Jenkins
Alan Ball

S (5)
Ken Hamlin
Gerald Sensabaugh
Michael Hamlin
DeAngelo Smith
Pat Watkins

SPEC. (4)
P Mat McBriar
K Nick Folk
K David Buehler
LS L.P. Ladouceur

I see the names in Blue above to be absolute roster locks. That's 44 roster locks. Which only leaves 9 spots.

I could see us not carrying a FB with our 2 TE sets. Anderson's ST ability is less important with the Williams, Hamlin and Hodge playing STs.

It becomes clearer by the day that we need to be aggressively looking at bringing in OL.