Mosley: A look at the Cowboys' 53-man roster
Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Trimming the Cowboys' roster to 53 in late May seems like a silly exercise -- but that didn't stop DallasNews.com's senior blogger Tim MacMahon. Take a look at what MacMahon came up with, and see how it matches up with your final 53. Oh wait, you haven't done yours yet?
MacMahon's list looks pretty solid to me. He has 11 of the club's 12 draft picks being on the final roster. I'm not sure what that says about the Cowboys. In my mind, it means that Wade Phillips has finally admitted that it's hard to win with poor play on special teams. That was his undoing in Buffalo (firing Bruce DeHaven), and we'll see if he's waited too late in Dallas.
I think fifth-round safeties Michael Hamlin and DeAngelo Smith have made excellent first impressions with the coaching staff. Safeties coach Brett Maxie told me Tuesday that Hamlin is soaking up information quicker than most rookies he's coached. And both players have good ball skills, something this team has been missing in recent years.
MacMahon has Isaiah Stanback making the team, but I don't think that will happen. He might be intriguing as a Wildcat quarterback, but he can't stay on the field because of injuries. Former Sooner Travis Wilson will have a shot at being the fifth receiver. I think Manuel Johnson and Kevin Ogletree could be good practice squad candidates.
And the depth along the offensive line is so uninspiring. Cory Procter or Montrae Holland can get you through some games at guard, but after that it's a crapshoot. Doug Free should give thanks each day that the club hasn't been able to develop another young lineman to force him off the roster. The Cowboys have done a lot of things right in the draft. Drafting talented offensive linemen isn't one of them. Maybe Robert Brewster out of Ball State will change that, but I have my doubts.
Do you guys see any major/minor surprises happening during the trimming process? Have fun churning the bottom of the roster. No one loves that phrase more than Bill Parcells. Never thought I'd miss him, but ...
Trimming the Cowboys' roster to 53 in late May seems like a silly exercise -- but that didn't stop DallasNews.com's senior blogger Tim MacMahon. Take a look at what MacMahon came up with, and see how it matches up with your final 53. Oh wait, you haven't done yours yet?
MacMahon's list looks pretty solid to me. He has 11 of the club's 12 draft picks being on the final roster. I'm not sure what that says about the Cowboys. In my mind, it means that Wade Phillips has finally admitted that it's hard to win with poor play on special teams. That was his undoing in Buffalo (firing Bruce DeHaven), and we'll see if he's waited too late in Dallas.
I think fifth-round safeties Michael Hamlin and DeAngelo Smith have made excellent first impressions with the coaching staff. Safeties coach Brett Maxie told me Tuesday that Hamlin is soaking up information quicker than most rookies he's coached. And both players have good ball skills, something this team has been missing in recent years.
MacMahon has Isaiah Stanback making the team, but I don't think that will happen. He might be intriguing as a Wildcat quarterback, but he can't stay on the field because of injuries. Former Sooner Travis Wilson will have a shot at being the fifth receiver. I think Manuel Johnson and Kevin Ogletree could be good practice squad candidates.
And the depth along the offensive line is so uninspiring. Cory Procter or Montrae Holland can get you through some games at guard, but after that it's a crapshoot. Doug Free should give thanks each day that the club hasn't been able to develop another young lineman to force him off the roster. The Cowboys have done a lot of things right in the draft. Drafting talented offensive linemen isn't one of them. Maybe Robert Brewster out of Ball State will change that, but I have my doubts.
Do you guys see any major/minor surprises happening during the trimming process? Have fun churning the bottom of the roster. No one loves that phrase more than Bill Parcells. Never thought I'd miss him, but ...
posted by The Gryphon at 6:00 PM
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