Cowboys Shockingly Release Breakout Defender

Most fans expected this undrafted rookie to be a lock on the 53-man roster.
The Cowboys disappointed and shocked fans by releasing breakout undrafted rookie Isaiah Land.
The Cowboys disappointed and shocked fans by releasing breakout undrafted rookie Isaiah Land. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

Sometimes it's not fun to toot your own horn. I didn't like including Isaiah Land on my list of projected cuts, and I don't like having been right about it.

Fans weren't happy to see Land on my list, either, and now fans are especially unhappy after it was announced that the Cowboys have waived the standout undrafted rookie despite his terrific training camp and preseason performances.

Forget what the draft capital says — Land is a totally legit prospect at this point. The same pass-rush juice that helped him record a 19-sack season at Florida A&M was on full display this summer, as he recorded pressures on a seriously impressive 10 of his 25 pass-rush snaps in the preseason.

And that showed in live-game scenarios, where all the praise he was receiving for his pass rush in training camp practices was fully warranted.

But there are some obvious holes in his game that meant he just wasn't going to overtake Dante Fowler or Vellami Fehoko for the final edge rusher roster spot.

Land is too small to play on the edge (215 pounds), and that probably played a role in his 40.0% missed tackle rate in the preseason.

Dallas fans will have their fingers crossed that the 31 other teams are too concerned with those potential size and strength issues to snap Land up off waivers, which would allow him to be signed to the Cowboys practice squad.

That would be the perfect situation for the 'Boys, since it would give him some time to build up his size and strength to be able to hold his own on that front.

Of course, fans don't exactly love that being his only potential path forward in Dallas:

Getting Land back is no guarantee, but Caesars Sportsbook's $250 bonus is. If you don't have a Caesars account yet, signing up through the exclusive Sport DFW link below means that it doesn't matter if your first bet wins or loses, you can cash in the full $250 bonus either way! Just make sure to unlock your bonus quickly before it expires.