Football is a recreation of attrition. No staff ends the season with the very same gamers it began the season with, as accidents take their inevitable toll on the roster. Successfully managing that side of NFL actuality may be the distinction between a prime 10 draft choose and a deep playoff run.
Last 12 months, the Cowboys stormed out to a 6-1 begin regardless of beginning the season with WR Michael Gallup, DT Neville Gallimore, and CB Kelvin Joseph out on IR, and RT La’el Collins sitting out a five-game suspension. But accidents would take their toll down the stretch.
- Dak Prescott missed a recreation with a calf damage and it felt prefer it took him fairly some time to recover from that damage, regardless of solely lacking one recreation.
- Tyron Smith missed six video games, and was maybe rushed again a bit too early for the playoff recreation in opposition to the 49ers.
- DeMarcus Lawrence fractured his foot within the season opener and wouldn’t be again till Week 12.
- Amari Cooper missed two video games because of Covid, and plenty of extra gamers needed to sit out video games for a similar cause.
(*13*)Randy Gregory missed 4 video games from Week 9-12 with a calf damage.
No staff has enough depth to seamlessly change all of their prime stars, however for those who have good enough depth, your staff may be capable of not less than alleviate a number of the damage hits.
Back in 2014, Pat Kirwan of CBSSports penned an article by which he checked out roster depth throughout the league. Kirwan proposed a record of 13 questions by which to evaluate roster depth, and we’ll use these 13 questions right now to attempt to determine how good the Cowboys’ roster depth is.
We’re nonetheless nearly two months away from coaching camp, and 100 days from the beginning of the season, so not all of Kirwan’s questions may be answered with certainty. At the identical time, questions for which the solutions might not be apparent right now, may very well be very apparent after coaching camp, and vice versa, so there’s a excessive diploma of ambiguity inherent in answering these questions this far forward of precise soccer being performed.
But I attempted to reply the 13 questions anyway. I selected to reply every query with “Yes,” “No,” or “Probably,” and offered a short rationale for every reply beneath. If we assign two factors for a “Yes,” one level for a “Probably,” and 0 factors for a “No,” I gave the Cowboys 14 factors for the 13 questions beneath. As you undergo the record, what number of factors would you award?
1. Does your staff have a succesful backup QB that may go not less than 2-2 in a four-game stretch?
Cooper Rush is 1-0 within the NFL, Will Grier is 0-2, and Ben DiNucci is 0-1, however these stat traces imply nothing. The Cowboys don’t have an NFL-quality backup on their roster. Verdict: No (0 factors)
2. Does your staff have an actual swing offensive deal with, a man that may play left or proper deal with and has expertise?
The Cowboys have Tyron Smith at left deal with, and simply promoted their backup deal with, Terence Steele, to proper deal with. They additionally invested a first-round choose in Tyler Smith with the intent of ultimately transferring him out to deal with. Beyond that, they have Josh Ball and Matt Waletzko as backups. So they do have some guys, however no one with NFL expertise. Verdict: Probably (1 level).
3. Does your staff have a stable inside offensive lineman that may play guard or middle?
This clearly depends upon the way you outline “solid”, however the Cowboys do have Connor McGovern who might play all three spots in a pinch. Verdict: Yes (2 factors)
4. Is there a top quality second operating again that may ship a 100-yard dashing day if he needed to begin?
Many in Dallas assume the quantity two man could also be higher than the primary man. Verdict: So a lot Yes (2 factors)
5. Is there a very good second tight finish on the roster?
For now, it’s Dalton Schultz and that’s it. The Cowboys do have some promising younger guys on the roster, so there may be hope for some depth right here, however for now, the decision is evident. Verdict: No (0 factors)
6. Can the third broad receiver step up and begin within the two-WR packages if a starter went down?
The reply right here might be a bit sophisticated as a result of the Cowboys’ offense options Dalton Schultz so closely (Schultz is successfully the No. 2 receiver on the staff by way of receptions). Cedric Wilson was final 12 months’s depth man, and he had 45 receptions, which interprets to 2.7 receptions per recreation. That’s a degree of manufacturing that anyone out of the trio of James Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Noah Brown ought to be capable of simply obtain if referred to as upon – even when Michael Gallup is prone to miss a couple of video games firstly of the season. Verdict: Yes (2 factors)
7. Does your staff have a chosen pass-rush specialist who might play the early downs if want be?
This is a little bit of a specialist position, and never each staff has or wants a specialist cross rusher who is essentially restricted to passing downs. But for those who add Micah Parsons to the plethora of cross rushers in Dallas, the Cowboys ought to be in fine condition for this query. Verdict: Yes (2 factors)
8. Is there a 3rd defensive deal with that not solely performs in a rotation however might play the entire recreation if want be?
How the depth chart at DT performs out will probably be one of many extra attention-grabbing questions in camp, because the Cowboys have an abundance of gamers on the spot. Neville Gallimore, Osa Odighizuwa, and Trysten Hill will all compete for a beginning spot, and all might play the entire recreation if want be. Verdict: Yes (2 factors)
9. Is there a top quality nickel nook on the roster, since most groups are not less than 50 p.c sub defenses?
Jourdan Lewis is that nickel nook. Verdict: Yes (2 factors)
10. Is there a fourth nook for dime packages?
This is the place it will get a bit sophisticated. Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown are the presumptive beginning corners, Kelvin Joseph is the third nook, and Jourdan Lewis is the nickel man. But if Joseph will get suspended or maybe even launched for his involvement in a Dallas-area capturing earlier this 12 months, that depth will probably be challenged. Verdict: Probably (1 level)
11. Is there a 3rd security for giant nickel defenses?
The Cowboys don’t play in a giant nickel protection, however the level is legitimate however. The Cowboys have a very good security duo in Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse, however there are large query marks past these two, to a degree the place it at the moment appears possible that UDFA Markquese Bell might make the staff. Verdict: No (0 factors)
12. Is there a return specialist that may both deal with each punts and kick returns or contribute as an actual place participant?
We don’t need CeeDee Lamb in that position this 12 months, so the reply is an emphatic NO. Verdict: No. (0 factors)
13. Does your staff have a special-teams linebacker that leads the specials and may play inside linebacker in a pinch?
Maybe Jabril Cox may very well be that man, perhaps Damone Clark may very well be that man. Both are coming back from damage, so who is aware of what they’ll be capable of do? Verdict: No (0 factors)
When Kirwan wrote his article, he recognized the Seahawks and Bengals because the groups with one of the best depth in 2014. The Seahawks would find yourself with a 12-4 report and a Super Bowl look, and the Bengals went 10-5-1 with an early playoff exit within the wildcard spherical.
But he additionally listed 5 groups as honorable mentions for greatest roster depth. None of these 5 groups made the playoffs, and just one staff even managed a profitable report. The 5 honorable mentions: Eagles (10-6), Dolphins (8-8), 49ers (8-8), Commanders (4-12), and Buccaneers (2-14).
So depth isn’t every little thing within the NFL, although it certain might help.
As you undergo the record of questions above, how do you consider the Cowboys’ roster depth, and what number of factors would you award?