Cowboys: How Jordan Carrell and Joey Ivie make the team

The Dallas Cowboys added Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell late in April’s draft but it’s going to take more than draft status to earn a spot on this defensive line

Being a seventh round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys does little to guarantee you a roster spot these days. This is especially true on the Cowboys defensive line, which boasts considerably more players than roster spots available.

Interior linemen, Joey Ivie (pick 228) and Jordan Carrell (pick 246), face stout competition in training camp. It will be tough for just one of them and nearly impossible for both to make the final 53-man roster. Since defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli runs a deep rotation every week, being able to contribute immediately is a must. Ivie and Carrell will need to hit the ground running and possibly outperform proven veterans.

Numbers Game

Building a 53 –man roster is a numbers game of sorts. It’s not just the best 53 players that make the team but rather a set amount of players at certain positions that make the team. On the Cowboys defensive line, it would be unlikely any more than 10 make the final 53.

David Irving, a roster lock, will start the season on the suspended list. Because of this he will not count against the 53-man roster until week five. That could provide the opportunity for one of these fringe linemen to make an impression, and possibly, earn a permanent roster spot.

The top players competing for the predicted 10 defensive line roster spots are these players:

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Tyrone Crawford (DT/DE)

DeMarcus Lawrence (DE)

David Irving (DT/DE)

Taco Charlton (DE)

Maliek Collins (DT)

Cedric Thornton (DT)

Benson Mayowa (DE)

Charles Tapper (DE)

Damontre Moore (DE)

Stephen Paea (DT)

Lenny Jones (DE)

The top group of players (6) are all locks to make the roster. Ability, premiere draft status, and money due, all ensure their survival. The next three, Mayowa, Tapper, and Moore will likely be competing for the right defensive end position. All are talented pass rushers and highly likely to make the team as well.

This leaves one roster spot available (and possibly a second while David Irving serves suspension) for four worthy players:

Position Flex

What Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell must do to win a roster spot is show some position flexibility. Rod Marinelli values it immensely. Specifically, that flexibility should extend to the 1-technique defensive tackle spot. Since Cedric Thornton and Stephen Paea can only play the 1-tech, one of them becomes expendable if another player proves he’s capable of splitting duties there.

Some are tabbing second year pro Maliek Collins as a part time 1-tech in the Cowboys’ defense. While the thought of pairing Tyrone Crawford and Collins side by side at tackle is attractive, playing 1-tech does not suit Collins’ skillset. Since Collins is a far better pass-rusher than he is a run stopper, it would likely hurt the Cowboys in both phases of the game should he spend time lined up in the 1-technique.

If either Ivie or Carrell can prove to be adequate at 1-tech, it could spell the end for Stephen Paea. Paea was signed to a 1-year, $1,906,405 deal in the offseason. The deal is structured to pay in per game bonuses so he’s financially expendable should the Dallas Cowboys need to.

Thornton, on the other hand, is not financially expendable. Thornton counts $4,250,000 against the cap this season if he stays, and $6,750,000 if he’s cut. Financially, he’s a lock to make the team.

Stoutness

Both Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell were drafted because of their never-give-up motors and their ability to 1-gap quickly. But it’s their ability to anchor, lined up at the 1-technique, that may ultimately seal their fate.

Both players are built roughly the same: 6’3” 303lbs. They have some mass but mass alone won’t get the job done. They will have to be tenacious at 1-tech and show promise at the 3-tech.

It’s possible Rod Marinelli and staff are looking down the road to 2018 and seeing a Dallas Cowboys team without Cedric Thornton and Tyrone Crawford. Finding a player or two now that’s capable of adding depth to the interior would make that looming fate a bit more digestible.

Next: Damontre Moore was once known as 'DaMonster'. Can he be again?

Joey Ivie and Jordan Carrell face an uphill battle in their quest for a roster spot. Being competent at the 1-tech is probably the best way.

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