Dallas Cowboys 53-Man Roster Projection: Training Camp – Week 1
By Reid Hanson
Oct 18, 2014; Boca Raton, FL, USA; Florida Atlantic Owls wide receiver Lucky Whitehead (1) runs with the ball past Western Kentucky Hilltoppers defensive back Prince Charles Iworah (30) in the first quarter at FAU Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Receivers (5)
Lucky Whitehead
No surprises at the top, although I do think Devin Street needs to prove himself in camp because he’s not guaranteed a roster spot just because he was a 2014 5th round draft pick. The Cowboys brought plenty of talented competition to training camp this year making it one of the top five training camp battles to watch.
Lucky Whitehead is my pick for UDFA breakout player of the year. He has great return skills and is a better receiver than Dwayne Harris (the man he’s essentially replacing) ever was. Whitehead will need to be the coverage man Harris was to lock this spot up making him an intriguing player to watch this preseason.
For more on Whitehead check out: This undrafted rookie will be BIG in 2015
Offensive Line (9)
Ron Leary
La’el Collins
Damian Weems
Laurence Gibson
The big surprise here is that 3rd round pick, Chaz Green is missing. Green opted for hip surgery and may not be able to participate in training camp. With such new-found depth on the o-line, the Cowboys could easily place Green on the PUP to start the season and see how things shake out.
If everything is good, and Gibson and Weems impress, they could red-shirt Chaz Green and keep him off the 53 all year. The PUP would buy them time to bring Green on or to stash him for a year. Laurence Gibson is the fridge player here, and if anyone misses the cut, it will be him.
Mackenzy Bernadeau offers excellent depth and versatility to center and both guard spots. Damian Weems is an exciting player who’s had trouble staying healthy in the past. If healthy, he’s the favorite to lock down the swing tackle role during camp.
Check out: Zack Martin could be the next Larry Allen
Total Offensive Players: 25
Next: The Defensive Line