My Updated Guess of Opening Day 53 Man Roster + Practice Squad

[AbeBeta]

My original point was that it was something that I would like to see happen and something that I think some other fans would like also. I participated in a thread on another message board about "What changes would you like to see in the NFL". Almost all poster that answered the question had something in there about more roster spots or some change in the PUP/IR system.

In my original post I was also implying that I don't see what either the owners or players would lose by making these rule more fan friendly. The salary cap prevents it from costing the owners more money.

No. That cap prevents it from charging more against the cap. It does not prevent the real $ charge from employing another player (likely pushing 1 mill in total compensation)

 

[xwalker]

No. That cap prevents it from charging more against the cap. It does not prevent the real $ charge from employing another player (likely pushing 1 mill in total compensation)

I don't understand this post.

Any money paid to guys on IR or PUP counts against the cap.

 

[xwalker]

I thought your film analysis lead to Parnell being superior to Free. What gives?

Thanks for catching that. He was supposed to be in the list. So it should be top 20 on offense instead of top 19.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

QB: Romo Weeden Hanie/Vaughn

I am going with three here. Romo and Weeden are shoo-ins. With Romo's health and Weeden's inexperience, I think you need to have another guy on board that has been through camp and understands the offense. Weeden could change this by playing lights out in the preseason but failing that I want whoever wins out from the rest on the squad.

RB: Murray Dunbar Williams/Randle/Malena

Murray and Dunbar are having roles defined for them in the offense. Dunbar will be used as a change of pace back unlike anything we have seen in quite some time. Randle looked good to me watching him at OSU. He looked slow and small to me last year when he played. I have heard good things about the other guys from various sources but have never seen either play. I give Randle the inside track to be the third RB because he covered and blocked for kicks on what was a very good ST unit last year. Bissacia is probably the deciding vote.

TE/FB: Witten Escobar Hanna Clutts/Copeland/Walker/Najvar

First three are obvious. Was pleased to hear someone say over on Cowboys Nation that Hanna's blocking had improved. We will see when the pads come on but better perimeter blocking would help a lot. I have seen Clutts play and he plays sound assignment football but is not overpowering. I would like to see Copeland be as skillful and beat him out but I doubt it because he was very unsound at LSU. Other guys I know nothing about.

WR: Bryant Williams Beasley Harris Street/Boyd/Byrd/Briscoe/Newsome

Bryant, Williams, Beasley, and Harris are about as big of locks as there are. The first three are part of every game plan for Linehan and Harris is bound to get some offensive snaps as well as being one of the league's best at returning kicks. They very easily could see 6 WR kept if some of these guys can play ST. Boyd did out at Arizona. Dooley has a very good relationship with Street. They all fit the size model that the team looks for in WR.

OT: Smith Free Parnell Weems/Wetzel/Aladenoye

Starters are obvious. Parnell has taken snaps in the offense. After that its pretty dicey. Weems is hurt and I only know the other guys are on the team because I can read a roster. The fourth guy here easily could be on a different team or be starting at right guard and the team goes long at the interior line. The team picked up Wetzel last season after the Raiders cut him injured out of training camp. They have kept him since then and I will be looking for 61 on the third team.

OG/C: Martin Frederick Bernadeau Leary Nwaneri Cureton/Patrick

I feel fairly confident that the first 5 make the team. Nwaneri or someone could stink it up but I don't see it. I think the opposite will be the case and they will be dominant. The last guys i don't know squat about.

DE: Selvie Crawford Spencer Mincey Lawrence Gardner/Wilson/Rayford/Boatright/Bush/Ojomo

The first 5 make it. They could IR and carry Lawrence and Spencer is on the PUP as of right now so that leaves the door open for the 6 other guys to show that they are more than camp bodies. Gardner and Lawrence going down has been a big blow. Gardner has a lingering issue with his right chest and shoulder and needs to get healthy. i could easily see him ending up on the IR or waived injured though. Wilson is too small to be much more than a pass rushing specialist. On the bright side Spencer is working on the cords while the team practices which with every other player i have seen other than Jay Ratliff means he is on the cusp of returning to the field. It's been 10 months since his surgery last September and there have been no setbacks since he started rehabbing it with the team in April.

DT: McClain Melton Hayden/Bass/Coleman/Bishop

McClain and Melton were brought in to start and I hope that Hayden proves a lot of people wrong -myself included- plays well and makes the team. I have heard good things about the other three from various sources. Coleman is a media darling and Bass pulled his hammy.

LB: Carter McClain Wilber Durant Holloman Hitchens Laurence/Lemon/Sapp/Smith/Smith

If McClain's head is on straight -and that is a big if- then i actually feel good about this group. McClain if he plays to his potential is one of the more physically dominating LB prospects of the past decade or so. Wilber is a physically dominant SAM that manhandles the h-backs and FB that the league has to offer. His ability to reroute receivers is underrated. Those two are well equipped to handle things if the DT allow extra blockers on the second level. Now if McClain cannot play then I could see MLB being a trainwreck too.

I think Carter's mistakes last year while egregious have been entirely overblown and grandstanded on by fans and media alike. When he played for the most part he was not that bad and there were other games where he played very well. Against Oakland and the Giants he was money.

Holloman and Durant represent good depth. Hitchens is reportedly a bit out of his depth on the mental side but that is not unexpected for a rookie. The Texas Tech kid looked like a dog in a butcher shop that couldn't get off blocks when i watched him but people seem to like him. He is currently on the sidelines with a pulled groin. Lawrence was a leader on ST last year who looked completely out of his depth when called into action versus the Packers. Lemon is a fringe 3-4 OLB who is best friends with the star receiver.

CB: Carr Claiborne Scandrick Mitchell/Webb/Moore/Patmon/Phillips

First three are obvious locks. The squad misses the much maligned Carr. My heart goes out to him and his following the death of his mom. Claiborne was playing better but knee tendinitis flared once again. Mitchell has been getting a lot of love lately from the media and is taking the bull by the horns by accounts. Webb is undersized and has not been getting any love. Kavner recently described the offense trouncing him for three straight plays in the team sessions. I have no idea how the others are performing but Moore is also out.

S: Church Wilcox Hamilton/Heath/Dixon/Smith/Johnson

Church and Wilcox are certain to make the roster. I think Hamilton and Heath have the edge over the other guys but i don't have much to base that on. Johnson's body cannot handle the rigors of NFL training. I don't see him ever managing games. The competition for roster spots should be interesting.

ST: Bailey Jones/Mandell Frenchie

Too bad we parted ways with McBriar. he was better than this new guy. The even newer guy supposedly has a live leg but if you cannot directionally kick you cannot play in the NFL. Bailey will likely compete for All Pro and Frenchie will likely be welcome to stay as long as he likes.

 

[CCBoy]

QB: Romo Weeden Hanie/Vaughn

I am going with three here. Romo and Weeden are shoo-ins. With Romo's health and Weeden's inexperience, I think you need to have another guy on board that has been through camp and understands the offense. Weeden could change this by playing lights out in the preseason but failing that I want whoever wins out from the rest on the squad.

RB: Murray Dunbar Williams/Randle/Malena

Murray and Dunbar are having roles defined for them in the offense. Dunbar will be used as a change of pace back unlike anything we have seen in quite some time. Randle looked good to me watching him at OSU. He looked slow and small to me last year when he played. I have heard good things about the other guys from various sources but have never seen either play. I give Randle the inside track to be the third RB because he covered and blocked for kicks on what was a very good ST unit last year. Bissacia is probably the deciding vote.

TE/FB: Witten Escobar Hanna Clutts/Copeland/Walker/Najvar

First three are obvious. Was pleased to hear someone say over on Cowboys Nation that Hanna's blocking had improved. We will see when the pads come on but better perimeter blocking would help a lot. I have seen Clutts play and he plays sound assignment football but is not overpowering. I would like to see Copeland be as skillful and beat him out but I doubt it because he was very unsound at LSU. Other guys I know nothing about.

WR: Bryant Williams Beasley Harris Street/Boyd/Byrd/Briscoe/Newsome

Bryant, Williams, Beasley, and Harris are about as big of locks as there are. The first three are part of every game plan for Linehan and Harris is bound to get some offensive snaps as well as being one of the league's best at returning kicks. They very easily could see 6 WR kept if some of these guys can play ST. Boyd did out at Arizona. Dooley has a very good relationship with Street. They all fit the size model that the team looks for in WR.

OT: Smith Free Parnell Weems/Wetzel/Aladenoye

Starters are obvious. Parnell has taken snaps in the offense. After that its pretty dicey. Weems is hurt and I only know the other guys are on the team because I can read a roster. The fourth guy here easily could be on a different team or be starting at right guard and the team goes long at the interior line. The team picked up Wetzel last season after the Raiders cut him injured out of training camp. They have kept him since then and I will be looking for 61 on the third team.

OG/C: Martin Frederick Bernadeau Leary Nwaneri Cureton/Patrick

I feel fairly confident that the first 5 make the team. Nwaneri or someone could stink it up but I don't see it. I think the opposite will be the case and they will be dominant. The last guys i don't know squat about.

DE: Selvie Crawford Spencer Mincey Lawrence Gardner/Wilson/Rayford/Boatright/Bush/Ojomo

The first 5 make it. They could IR and carry Lawrence and Spencer is on the PUP as of right now so that leaves the door open for the 6 other guys to show that they are more than camp bodies. Gardner and Lawrence going down has been a big blow. Gardner has a lingering issue with his right chest and shoulder and needs to get healthy. i could easily see him ending up on the IR or waived injured though. Wilson is too small to be much more than a pass rushing specialist. On the bright side Spencer is working on the cords while the team practices which with every other player i have seen other than Jay Ratliff means he is on the cusp of returning to the field. It's been 10 months since his surgery last September and there have been no setbacks since he started rehabbing it with the team in April.

DT: McClain Melton Hayden/Bass/Coleman/Bishop

McClain and Melton were brought in to start and I hope that Hayden proves a lot of people wrong -myself included- plays well and makes the team. I have heard good things about the other three from various sources. Coleman is a media darling and Bass pulled his hammy.

LB: Carter McClain Wilber Durant Holloman Hitchens Laurence/Lemon/Sapp/Smith/Smith

If McClain's head is on straight -and that is a big if- then i actually feel good about this group. McClain if he plays to his potential is one of the more physically dominating LB prospects of the past decade or so. Wilber is a physically dominant SAM that manhandles the h-backs and FB that the league has to offer. His ability to reroute receivers is underrated. Those two are well equipped to handle things if the DT allow extra blockers on the second level. Now if McClain cannot play then I could see MLB being a trainwreck too.

I think Carter's mistakes last year while egregious have been entirely overblown and grandstanded on by fans and media alike. When he played for the most part he was not that bad and there were other games where he played very well. Against Oakland and the Giants he was money.

Holloman and Durant represent good depth. Hitchens is reportedly a bit out of his depth on the mental side but that is not unexpected for a rookie. The Texas Tech kid looked like a dog in a butcher shop that couldn't get off blocks when i watched him but people seem to like him. He is currently on the sidelines with a pulled groin. Lawrence was a leader on ST last year who looked completely out of his depth when called into action versus the Packers. Lemon is a fringe 3-4 OLB who is best friends with the star receiver.

CB: Carr Claiborne Scandrick Mitchell/Webb/Moore/Patmon/Phillips

First three are obvious locks. The squad misses the much maligned Carr. My heart goes out to him and his following the death of his mom. Claiborne was playing better but knee tendinitis flared once again. Mitchell has been getting a lot of love lately from the media and is taking the bull by the horns by accounts. Webb is undersized and has not been getting any love. Kavner recently described the offense trouncing him for three straight plays in the team sessions. I have no idea how the others are performing but Moore is also out.

S: Church Wilcox Hamilton/Heath/Dixon/Smith/Johnson

Church and Wilcox are certain to make the roster. I think Hamilton and Heath have the edge over the other guys but i don't have much to base that on. Johnson's body cannot handle the rigors of NFL training. I don't see him ever managing games. The competition for roster spots should be interesting.

ST: Bailey Jones/Mandell Frenchie

Too bad we parted ways with McBriar. he was better than this new guy. The even newer guy supposedly has a live leg but if you cannot directionally kick you cannot play in the NFL. Bailey will likely compete for All Pro and Frenchie will likely be welcome to stay as long as he likes.

That was a fair appraisal.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

QB: Romo Weeden Hanie/Vaughn

I am going with three here. Romo and Weeden are shoo-ins. With Romo's health and Weeden's inexperience, I think you need to have another guy on board that has been through camp and understands the offense. Weeden could change this by playing lights out in the preseason but failing that I want whoever wins out from the rest on the squad.

RB: Murray Dunbar Williams/Randle/Malena

Murray and Dunbar are having roles defined for them in the offense. Dunbar will be used as a change of pace back unlike anything we have seen in quite some time. Randle looked good to me watching him at OSU. He looked slow and small to me last year when he played. I have heard good things about the other guys from various sources but have never seen either play. I give Randle the inside track to be the third RB because he covered and blocked for kicks on what was a very good ST unit last year. Bissacia is probably the deciding vote.

TE/FB: Witten Escobar Hanna Clutts/Copeland/Walker/Najvar

First three are obvious. Was pleased to hear someone say over on Cowboys Nation that Hanna's blocking had improved. We will see when the pads come on but better perimeter blocking would help a lot. I have seen Clutts play and he plays sound assignment football but is not overpowering. I would like to see Copeland be as skillful and beat him out but I doubt it because he was very unsound at LSU. Other guys I know nothing about.

WR: Bryant Williams Beasley Harris Street/Boyd/Byrd/Briscoe/Newsome

Bryant, Williams, Beasley, and Harris are about as big of locks as there are. The first three are part of every game plan for Linehan and Harris is bound to get some offensive snaps as well as being one of the league's best at returning kicks. They very easily could see 6 WR kept if some of these guys can play ST. Boyd did out at Arizona. Dooley has a very good relationship with Street. They all fit the size model that the team looks for in WR.

OT: Smith Free Parnell Weems/Wetzel/Aladenoye

Starters are obvious. Parnell has taken snaps in the offense. After that its pretty dicey. Weems is hurt and I only know the other guys are on the team because I can read a roster. The fourth guy here easily could be on a different team or be starting at right guard and the team goes long at the interior line. The team picked up Wetzel last season after the Raiders cut him injured out of training camp. They have kept him since then and I will be looking for 61 on the third team.

OG/C: Martin Frederick Bernadeau Leary Nwaneri Cureton/Patrick

I feel fairly confident that the first 5 make the team. Nwaneri or someone could stink it up but I don't see it. I think the opposite will be the case and they will be dominant. The last guys i don't know squat about.

DE: Selvie Crawford Spencer Mincey Lawrence Gardner/Wilson/Rayford/Boatright/Bush/Ojomo

The first 5 make it. They could IR and carry Lawrence and Spencer is on the PUP as of right now so that leaves the door open for the 6 other guys to show that they are more than camp bodies. Gardner and Lawrence going down has been a big blow. Gardner has a lingering issue with his right chest and shoulder and needs to get healthy. i could easily see him ending up on the IR or waived injured though. Wilson is too small to be much more than a pass rushing specialist. On the bright side Spencer is working on the cords while the team practices which with every other player i have seen other than Jay Ratliff means he is on the cusp of returning to the field. It's been 10 months since his surgery last September and there have been no setbacks since he started rehabbing it with the team in April.

DT: McClain Melton Hayden/Bass/Coleman/Bishop

McClain and Melton were brought in to start and I hope that Hayden proves a lot of people wrong -myself included- plays well and makes the team. I have heard good things about the other three from various sources. Coleman is a media darling and Bass pulled his hammy.

LB: Carter McClain Wilber Durant Holloman Hitchens Laurence/Lemon/Sapp/Smith/Smith

If McClain's head is on straight -and that is a big if- then i actually feel good about this group. McClain if he plays to his potential is one of the more physically dominating LB prospects of the past decade or so. Wilber is a physically dominant SAM that manhandles the h-backs and FB that the league has to offer. His ability to reroute receivers is underrated. Those two are well equipped to handle things if the DT allow extra blockers on the second level. Now if McClain cannot play then I could see MLB being a trainwreck too.

I think Carter's mistakes last year while egregious have been entirely overblown and grandstanded on by fans and media alike. When he played for the most part he was not that bad and there were other games where he played very well. Against Oakland and the Giants he was money.

Holloman and Durant represent good depth. Hitchens is reportedly a bit out of his depth on the mental side but that is not unexpected for a rookie. The Texas Tech kid looked like a dog in a butcher shop that couldn't get off blocks when i watched him but people seem to like him. He is currently on the sidelines with a pulled groin. Lawrence was a leader on ST last year who looked completely out of his depth when called into action versus the Packers. Lemon is a fringe 3-4 OLB who is best friends with the star receiver.

CB: Carr Claiborne Scandrick Mitchell/Webb/Moore/Patmon/Phillips

First three are obvious locks. The squad misses the much maligned Carr. My heart goes out to him and his following the death of his mom. Claiborne was playing better but knee tendinitis flared once again. Mitchell has been getting a lot of love lately from the media and is taking the bull by the horns by accounts. Webb is undersized and has not been getting any love. Kavner recently described the offense trouncing him for three straight plays in the team sessions. I have no idea how the others are performing but Moore is also out.

S: Church Wilcox Hamilton/Heath/Dixon/Smith/Johnson

Church and Wilcox are certain to make the roster. I think Hamilton and Heath have the edge over the other guys but i don't have much to base that on. Johnson's body cannot handle the rigors of NFL training. I don't see him ever managing games. The competition for roster spots should be interesting.

ST: Bailey Jones/Mandell Frenchie

Too bad we parted ways with McBriar. he was better than this new guy. The even newer guy supposedly has a live leg but if you cannot directionally kick you cannot play in the NFL. Bailey will likely compete for All Pro and Frenchie will likely be welcome to stay as long as he likes.

I agree with you on Bruce Carter. Sure, I wish he would've played better but people have either made him a afterthought or simply have just overblown how bad he was. I'm not convinced yet that Bruce Carter can't play in this league and I don't think anyone else should be either. We just haven't seen enough in his short and inconsistent career.