Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster: What position goes short?

The Dallas Cowboys have a litany of options as they build their 53-man roster. What positions should they go long and what positions should they go short?

Today we’re discussing the Dallas Cowboys task at hand: building the final 53-man roster. This kind of talk may be saturating the news feed these days but if you really think about, it’s what the preseason is all about.

Training camp is a time to shake the cobwebs off for the veterans, sure. But more than anything else, it’s a time for roster depth to establish itself. Nearly every activity thus far has been about building the final 53. That’s why it’s the topic at hand today.

Where do the Dallas Cowboys go long on their depth chart?

And argument can be made that the Cowboys should go long at a number of spots. Cooper Rush will make the team and Jerry Jones has already talked about keep three QBs (something they usually don’t like to do). I’m guessing Moore is only going to be on the roster for a few weeks and will ultimately be a casualty once the suspended players return.

Noah Brown looks like he’s earned a roster spot since he’ll probably get grabbed by another team if the Cowboys try to sneak him onto their roster. That means the Cowboys must go long at WR and keep six.

Although, they could try to trade this receiver and keep the numbers down.

Tight end looks like a three-way tie for TE2. James Hanna, Geoff Swaim, and Rico Gathers are all strong in different areas and will all get snaps if the Cowboys go long and keep four tight ends. It also helps they’ll all play special teams.

If Gathers begins the season on IR, the Cowboys can keep their numbers at three for the season’s first half. But they still must go long at some point.

Cornerback is another area I’d want to go deep. With Nolan Carroll, Orlando Scandrick, Anthony Brown, Chidobe Awuzie, and Jourdan Lewis all likely to make the roster (although Carroll is no guarantee), and five being the number of CBs the Cowboys typically want to keep, They’ll have to go long to keep Duke Thomas and/or Marquez White.

Thomas is hurt right now, so he could also end up on the IR and effectively get stashed for the season. Either way, expect one of these players to get a roster spot.

BTW: Here’s my last 53-man roster projection for the Dallas Cowboys

Where do the Dallas Cowboys go short on their depth chart?

Like I said last week, every position you decide to go long at, you have to counter the move and go short at another position group. The areas I’d feel the best short-changing would surprisingly be linebacker and offensive line.

I generally see linebacker as a position you either use superstars or you populate with replaceable parts. Obviously Sean Lee is the former. Jaylon Smith is a player they hope to develop into a superstar. That’s about it since Anthony Hitchens is injured.

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With Anthony Hitchens likely to miss the first half of the season, he becomes the “reinforcements”. If he starts on IR he won’t count against the 53-man roster (much like we expect from Rico Gathers). The Cowboys can go short in the meantime.

Justin Durant becomes a necessary commodity in the short-term. But behind him and Damien Wilson, it’s nothing but replaceable parts.

I wouldn’t mind keeping just five linebackers because I know street free agents can fill out the depth as good as anyone currently on the roster. I wouldn’t waste a roster spot on them until an injury forced me to. Putting Hitch on IR and bringing him back in week eights seems like a nice roster spot saving move.

The offensive line is another deeply divided talent pool. Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, Jonathan Cooper, and Chaz Green are all clearly players to keep. But guys like Byron Bell, Emmett Cleary, Joe Looney and the rest can be found everywhere. Obviously you can’t cut all of them because some depth is needed, but I’d be fine keeping just three reserve linemen on the roster. After watching Byron Bell step up last week I’d be inclined to keep him, Green, and Cleary as the only reserves. All three can play tackle AND guard.

Next: Comparing the NFC East QBs: Is Dak the Best?

Whatever the Cowboys decide it’s probably going to be a gamble and it’s sure to bring gnashing of teeth from Cowboys Nation. But roster building is a zero sum game, if someone win – someone loses.

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