Dallas Cowboys Camp: Depth Chart and Roster Spots
By Reid Hanson
Aug 13, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Gus Johnson (37) runs for a touchdown during the second quarter in a preseason NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Running Back (5)
Joe Randle
Gus Johnson
The Steven Jackson, Ray Rice, and Chris Johnson talk is premature at the moment, but adding a veteran after the preseason, remains a very realistic possibility. Signing a veteran player before week 1 will automatically guarantee him money, but if the Cowboys wait until after week 1 of the regular season, they pay for a veteran on a week-by-week basis.
Gus Johnson has been a bright part of Cowboys Camp so far. Standing 5’10” 215lbs, Gus “the Bus” Johnson has been thriving as a first-team goal line back. He plays with both force and awareness that is invaluable in goal line situations.
His running style isn’t exactly suited for the Cowboys’ brand of zone blocking scheme (ZBS), but he still can serve a purpose on the team. It’s unknown how long Johnson will be out with his shoulder injury, but if he can rejoin the action at RB, he has a chance to make this team.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Jason Garrett loves the fullback position and it’s become very apparent Tyler Clutts is going to make the team.
"“He’s a physical guy,” Jason Garrett said. “He’s a smart guy. He can play on (special) teams. He’s shown he can play on some third down situations as a protector, which is a really important thing with your running backs. Sometimes you want to keep a couple of your guys out of that situation as much as you can. Maybe you have an injury, and you have a guy like that who can go in and understands protections and kind of get you out of a game. That’s a really significant role.”"
Five RBs is one more than the Dallas Cowboys traditionally keep, but in an offense where the running game plays such a strong role, five may be what it takes to build a week 1 roster.
Next: Best Battles in Camp