Building a Roster: Projecting the Dallas Cowboys final-53 man roster
By Reid Hanson
We break down what the Dallas Cowboys final roster will look like in Week 1 of the 2020 season
Training camp is still over a month away and players have yet to suit up in any capacity this offseason, yet reasonable conclusions can be drawn regarding the construction of the Dallas Cowboys roster.
The Dallas Cowboys are certifiable “contenders” this season which means they can’t over-invest in high potential players who can’t contribute now. They basically need to get something from everyone who gets one of the final-53 roster spots.
Now, the new CBA allows NFL teams to roll in with 55 players on game day but the last two spots aren’t full-fledged permanent positions. They are essentially spots for bubble players to bounce between the practice squad and the team. Because of that we will just focus on the actual 53 players who make the cut in Week 1.
Let’s start with something easy, shall we? Let’s start with Special Teams…
Dallas Cowboys: Special Teams (3)
L.P. Ladouceur, Chris Jones, Greg Zuerlein
The Dallas Cowboys have been blessed with stability by bringing back 39-year-old long snapper L.P. Ladouceur. The old man has been perfect in his career and gives Cowboys Nation one less thing to worry about. The same cannot be said for the other two special teams positions: kicker and punter.
Greg Zuerlein was brought in on a 3-year deal to compete with Kai Forbath. While Forbath was flawless kicking for the Cowboys last year, he faces an uphill battle against Greg “the leg”. Zuerlein is said to be healthy again and has the trust of the Cowboys’ coaching staff. It’s his job to lose.
Speaking of healthy again, Chris Jones is coming off another injury-impacted campaign that saw him put up some abysmal numbers. The fact that Dallas has done virtually nothing to push him in 2020 speaks to their confidence he can A) play well again and B) stay healthy
Special Teams Spots: 3
Remaining Positions: 50