sago1
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Below is Vela's projected roster and there are a few surprises. Check out FB, WR, LB, K & CB/S unresolved. Remember preseason games may alter the roster particularly when dealing with younger players. Enjoy, until after the Colt game which could immediately affect the roster. BTW: If Vela right, unless Miles Austin shows up big in preseason games, he could be in trouble so the suggestion by some poster that we trade Austin for a draft pick seems a bit premature to say the least. Again enjoy. SAGO1
from boysblog - Raphael Vela
Think it’s a bit early to pencil in the final roster? I don’t. There are some key players to watch on Thursday but not many roster spots up for grabs. Here’s my current 53, with rookies in italics.
Special Teams (3)
K (1) Nick Folk and Martin Gramatica
They’re 1 and 1A right now. Their game performances will tell which one gets the nod. Folk has a strong leg and gets more height on his attempts, but if he’s missing just wide, it won’t matter. They’ve both been accurate. I don’t think the Cowboys will carry two kickers. If Folk wins the field goal duel, he’ll be the guy.
P (1) Mat McBriar
Working on another Pro Bowl selection. Next…
Snapper (1) L.P. Ladouceur
Solid
Offense (25)
QB (3) Tony Romo, Brad Johnson, Matt Moore?
The pecking order is set. I give Moore the current nod over Richard Bartel for #3 but the games will answer that question.
RB (3) Julius Jones, Marion Barber, Tyson Thompson
The two headed Jones-Barber monster lives. Thompson works 3rd team and returns kickoffs. Barring injury, he’ll stick.
*FB (2) Oliver Hoyte, Jackie Battle
Hoyte’s the starter, though Battle has made his case this week. He’s shown he can block blitzers effectively, catch the ball and shows a nasty streak when running. Some people want to classify him as a RB, but he’s lined up a lot as a backfield blocker.
TE (2) Jason Witten, Anthony Fasano
This seems thin. The Cowboys could carry a third, but I have not seen a backup besides Fasano do anything impressive. The Parcells Cowboys used to carry three to four TEs and one fullback. Keeping Battle as a fullback could lessen the need for depth there, though I’m shaky about keeping just two.
*WR (6) Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Jerheme Urban, Isaiah Stanback
I think at some point in the near future the Cowboys will go with five receivers and sign that third TE. Right now, however, injuries could force them to keep six. Terry Glenn will probably be back in a couple of weeks after having a cyst removed from his knee. Crayton and Hurd are #3 and #4. Urban gets #5 for the moment because he’s the punt returner. He’s the shakiest name on my offensive list and the most likely to be cut.
Stanback hasn’t practiced yet but the scouting staff loves him and shin splints are not the type of injury to keep you on the injured reserve. (There’s no way they’ll sneak him through waivers so the options are to reserve him or wait.) He’ll probably get into the action very soon and will get a crack at the #5 spot, since he’s being groomed to return kicks.
Offensive line (9) Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode, Pat McQuistan, Doug Free, James Marten, Cory Procter
The first eight are chalk. Proctor’s likely solid too since he backs up Gurode. McQuistan could probably backup both guard and tackle positions, so Dallas needs somebody to cover the pivot and nobody else has stood out there.
Defense (25)
Linemen (6) Marcus Spears, Jason Ferguson, Chris Canty, Jason Hatcher, Jay Ratliff, Stephen Bowen
The first five are solid. Bowen gets the nod for the last spot because he’s working in more packages than the other backups. Backup nose tackle remains a mystery. The Cowboys may keep seven players here.
*Linebackers (9) Demarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Anthony Spencer, Akin Ayodele, Bradie James, Bobby Carpenter, Kevin Burnett, Junior Glymph, Blair Phillips?
The first eight seem fairly well set. Glymph is getting a lot more work and gets near the football more and more though it’s not clear how much playing time he’ll get backing up Demarcus Ware. Phillips loves to keep linebackers and stocked 10 on his ‘06 Chargers D. Phillips, Alex Obomese or Dedrick Harrington could make the team off their special teams work.
Defensive backs (10)
*Corners (5) Terence Newman, Anthony Henry, Aaron Glenn, Nate Jones and ?
The first four get a lot of work. Jones backs up Newman as the slot defender in the nickel. Joey Thomas, Jacques Reeves and rookie Alan Ball are all fighting for the final spot, in my opinion.
*Safety (5) Roy Williams, Ken Hamlin, Keith Davis, Pat Watkins, Courtney Brown.
Dallas may only keep four safeties. The first four go two deep, with Davis backing up Williams and Watkins playing Hamlin’s understudy. Brown has a lot of athletic ability but has a lot to learn after being switched from corner. If the Cowboys feel he’s worth it, they’ll keep him. Otherwise they may try to sneak him onto the practice squad and keep a seventh defensive lineman.
from boysblog - Raphael Vela
Think it’s a bit early to pencil in the final roster? I don’t. There are some key players to watch on Thursday but not many roster spots up for grabs. Here’s my current 53, with rookies in italics.
Special Teams (3)
K (1) Nick Folk and Martin Gramatica
They’re 1 and 1A right now. Their game performances will tell which one gets the nod. Folk has a strong leg and gets more height on his attempts, but if he’s missing just wide, it won’t matter. They’ve both been accurate. I don’t think the Cowboys will carry two kickers. If Folk wins the field goal duel, he’ll be the guy.
P (1) Mat McBriar
Working on another Pro Bowl selection. Next…
Snapper (1) L.P. Ladouceur
Solid
Offense (25)
QB (3) Tony Romo, Brad Johnson, Matt Moore?
The pecking order is set. I give Moore the current nod over Richard Bartel for #3 but the games will answer that question.
RB (3) Julius Jones, Marion Barber, Tyson Thompson
The two headed Jones-Barber monster lives. Thompson works 3rd team and returns kickoffs. Barring injury, he’ll stick.
*FB (2) Oliver Hoyte, Jackie Battle
Hoyte’s the starter, though Battle has made his case this week. He’s shown he can block blitzers effectively, catch the ball and shows a nasty streak when running. Some people want to classify him as a RB, but he’s lined up a lot as a backfield blocker.
TE (2) Jason Witten, Anthony Fasano
This seems thin. The Cowboys could carry a third, but I have not seen a backup besides Fasano do anything impressive. The Parcells Cowboys used to carry three to four TEs and one fullback. Keeping Battle as a fullback could lessen the need for depth there, though I’m shaky about keeping just two.
*WR (6) Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Jerheme Urban, Isaiah Stanback
I think at some point in the near future the Cowboys will go with five receivers and sign that third TE. Right now, however, injuries could force them to keep six. Terry Glenn will probably be back in a couple of weeks after having a cyst removed from his knee. Crayton and Hurd are #3 and #4. Urban gets #5 for the moment because he’s the punt returner. He’s the shakiest name on my offensive list and the most likely to be cut.
Stanback hasn’t practiced yet but the scouting staff loves him and shin splints are not the type of injury to keep you on the injured reserve. (There’s no way they’ll sneak him through waivers so the options are to reserve him or wait.) He’ll probably get into the action very soon and will get a crack at the #5 spot, since he’s being groomed to return kicks.
Offensive line (9) Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode, Pat McQuistan, Doug Free, James Marten, Cory Procter
The first eight are chalk. Proctor’s likely solid too since he backs up Gurode. McQuistan could probably backup both guard and tackle positions, so Dallas needs somebody to cover the pivot and nobody else has stood out there.
Defense (25)
Linemen (6) Marcus Spears, Jason Ferguson, Chris Canty, Jason Hatcher, Jay Ratliff, Stephen Bowen
The first five are solid. Bowen gets the nod for the last spot because he’s working in more packages than the other backups. Backup nose tackle remains a mystery. The Cowboys may keep seven players here.
*Linebackers (9) Demarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Anthony Spencer, Akin Ayodele, Bradie James, Bobby Carpenter, Kevin Burnett, Junior Glymph, Blair Phillips?
The first eight seem fairly well set. Glymph is getting a lot more work and gets near the football more and more though it’s not clear how much playing time he’ll get backing up Demarcus Ware. Phillips loves to keep linebackers and stocked 10 on his ‘06 Chargers D. Phillips, Alex Obomese or Dedrick Harrington could make the team off their special teams work.
Defensive backs (10)
*Corners (5) Terence Newman, Anthony Henry, Aaron Glenn, Nate Jones and ?
The first four get a lot of work. Jones backs up Newman as the slot defender in the nickel. Joey Thomas, Jacques Reeves and rookie Alan Ball are all fighting for the final spot, in my opinion.
*Safety (5) Roy Williams, Ken Hamlin, Keith Davis, Pat Watkins, Courtney Brown.
Dallas may only keep four safeties. The first four go two deep, with Davis backing up Williams and Watkins playing Hamlin’s understudy. Brown has a lot of athletic ability but has a lot to learn after being switched from corner. If the Cowboys feel he’s worth it, they’ll keep him. Otherwise they may try to sneak him onto the practice squad and keep a seventh defensive lineman.
