
The Dallas Cowboys face tough offseason roster decisions as the coaching staff scrutinizes depth at running back, tight end, and offensive line. Can Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis, or Phil Mafah step up behind Javonte Williams, or will Dallas need to sign a veteran RB to strengthen their ground game?
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The Dallas Cowboys are going to have some really tough decisions to make on offense. We'll tell you who could be on the chopping block next.
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Marcus Moer
Welcome back. I am your host Marcus Moer. He is Landon McCool and today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get 150 in bonus bets. If your first bet wins, head over to FanDuel.com to get started on today's show. We are taking a look at the Cowboys roster going into the offseason. We've got a couple months here without a lot of football action. We know that there's OTAs going on, but we wanted to do a deep dive on the current roster. Which positions need some help? Which players could be on the chopping block? And also you know what the early 53 man roster prediction looks like and landed. If you're watching with us right now on YouTube or wherever you watch your podcast, you can actually see a little depth chart that we've got pulled up here on offense. And Landon, I want to ask you before we get like hyper specific on some of these positions, the offense looks pretty set, but is there any one spot you're looking at here where you feel like they really need to add a body?
Landon McCool
I mean, again, my eyes continue to kind of fall back to that running back room, right? Like how are they feeling about blue and Davis and Mafa eventually as well and how, you know, what, what, what's, what's their level of confidence? Because I, I do think that obviously you feel really good about Williams. He signed him to a contract extension. But you, you have to be concerned about the fact that as the season wore on, obviously the, the touches seem to really wear on him. So I do think not only finding a guy to kind of alleviate some of the touches is going to be important, but, but also as we've talked about, just adding a more dynamic element to that room would be a really big bonus as well. And the question becomes like, can Blue or Davis or any of these guys do that for them?
Marcus Moer
It's crazy how much better I would feel about this offense if they just had a viable RB2 and not, I'm not saying a Jameer Gibbs or David Montgomery or anything like that, but I'm talking like a James Connor level backup running back, like just a veteran who has been in big games, who can pass block a little, who can get what's blocked and who can operate in the short yardage like they really need a guy land. And that can be the, I'm gonna say like the 20, was it 20, 20, 2021 version of Tony Pollard. That guy's really hard to get. But what we want them now is just to get a running back that you feel decent about. And if you've got to give that guy eight or nine touches in the second half of the game, and as of right now, I don't know if they have that guy on the roster.
Landon McCool
Yeah, I mean, I think that the truth of the matter is, is that look, I think that Jaden Blue can handle the kind of explosive play situation or at least you hope that with an off season, maybe some maturity that he can handle some of the designed running back stuff that you would like to see to create explosive plays with, with an explosive running back. But at the very least you still need like you said, another running back to just take touches off of Williams body throughout the season. Right. And, and, and, and, and I, I love, you know, that the Connor idea. I, I think go looking for a veteran running back who maybe has aged out of the window of being the primary back in an offense, but it's still got some good years and carries left in his body as a veteran guy like those guys you could find on the street and I think would make help, I think, to make this offense just feel a little bit more secure in case something happens to Williams or in case you needed to kind of take five to 10 touches off of his body a game so that you could spread that out over longer periods of time. Especially if you want to want him to be fresh by the time that you get into the playoffs.
Marcus Moer
What makes me nervous is that if, if Javante Williams steps on somebody's foot wrong and he rolls his ankle now he's out for two weeks and like on third down and like eight, nine, okay, you can put Hunter Lipke in the backfield and he can pass protect and he can do the dump off stuff like that's fine. What I get concerned about is like does your play action game completely, you know, go in the tank because you don't have a running back that you trust to put, you know, back there in the single eye. That's what I really worry about. And I, I, they just don't have that guy that I feel like you can trust in pass blocking. The they can get you what's blocked. That's where they need Phil Mafa and Jaden Blue to really grow up. And if, if that were to happen, if one of those guys takes a huge step in 2026, it's shocking how much better we'll feel about this team.
Landon McCool
I, I think that some people will kind of counter and probably are yelling at their podcast speakers or their computer screen right now. What about Malik Davis? You know what, what where does he fit in this? Because listen, the truth of the matter is that Malik Davis has done a really good job whenever he's been. But I would still but they had him last year too and they didn't necessarily feel comfortable with giving him enough of a load that it took away from, you know, Williams wear and tear by the end of the season. And maybe that is about like having a mix of the right kind of balance of carries for that position. Maybe it's about giving Davis more or carries but honestly it doesn't feel like it feels like they need to go and get another running back who they they're going to feel comfortable giving the ball to more often and taking off the field when they need to.
Marcus Moer
Another thing that I wanted to mention here, Landon is generally The Cowboys keep 23 to 24 players on offense. It's usually 24 on on offense, 26 on defense and then three special teamers, your kicker, your punter and your long snapper. The Cowboys like to go shorter on offense so you can have more depth on defense just because you're having to many different bodies. And when I look at this roster, there's not a lot of fat that can be, you know, trimmed like you kind of know, like let's, let's say you're going with 24 players. Landon. Like 21 of these guys are just like locks to make the roster.
Landon McCool
Yeah.
Marcus Moer
And a couple of the guys that I think are on the edge that I wanted to mention are Joe Milton and Sam Howell. I, I would not be surprised if the Cowboys keep just two quarterbacks this year and try to get one of these guys in the practice squad because they're going to need the additional roster spots on defense. They've got a lot of corners. I think they want to try to keep at least five, maybe even six corners. Do you think they could maybe move on from one of these guys?
Landon McCool
Yeah, I mean, you know, it's hard not to look at either one of those two guys. I mean maybe less so Milton just because I think some teams could still squint and view the, the, the upside there. But I think how views is viewed by me at least like as a signing where he's not. Like if he were on the street when we got to cut down days like I, I wouldn't be shocked if he made it all the way through waivers and you know, because I just think the teams are kind of into the guys that they had throughout their camps, you know, and especially the backup quarterback.
Marcus Moer
And he's bounced around a little bit over the last two years. Yeah.
Landon McCool
And he's not like an upside play. He's not someone that you would like, you know, necessarily sign to like Stash to develop or anything maybe the way that you would view Milton. So I do think that like, you know, depend. It. It may not reflect where the actual game day QB depth depth chart works, but I wouldn't be shocked if they kept Milton on the roster so that, you know, and then cut Howell, but Hal still ended up being the first guy to try it out. Yeah. If Dak needed a breather or if he got hur. Something.
Marcus Moer
Yeah, I mean that's, that's one of the spots that I'm looking at. The other spot is we mentioned running back. They generally keep four running backs. I'm gonna include Hunter Lipke in this spot and then tight end. They usually will keep three or four. And that's why I keep looking at Luke Sk Maker. Like the coaching staff that drafted him is gone. Like they're, they're not here. You're going into year four. I know that they like him more than maybe we do, but is it worthy, Is it worth keeping him on the roster if you can keep Brevin Span forward in an extra running back instead. I, I don't know. But with the way the NFL is trending with more of these teams using 12 and 13 personnel, maybe you don't give up on a guy like Luke Schoonmaker.
Landon McCool
Well, I think it's fair to also ask did Brevitz Band Ford take the step that he needed to take in this offseason to take that tight end two spot? I mean, not that, not that it was hard because not like Schoo makers played incredibly well or anything, but I do think that, that, you know, a lot of what we've talked about with Rev and Spin Ford has been hypothetical outside of his run blocking and if he's going to be on the field, like he's got to be able to be reliable as a pass catcher, catch the ball if he's a tight end too. So I, I think there's a lot of questions at that tight end spot. And, and I think that, you know, obviously even with Ferguson. So there's a lot to prove at that that in that room this year.
Marcus Moer
Yeah. And this is why if you do this exercise of trying to get to the 53 man roster and you have that goal of offense, it gets really hard for guys even like Michael Trigg and some of these down roster receivers to make the team. It's going to be tough. But I want to talk about the offensive line because this is a spot that the Cowboys generally go long on. Maybe they won't be able to do that this year. We'll discuss that more next. This episode is brought to you by Indeed. Workplace Chaos. Deadline stacking up. Inbox overflowing and the one position that you have to fill is still sitting open when the pressure's on and you need the right hire. This is a job for Sponsored Jobs. Indeed Sponsored Jobs help you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for. Skills. Experience. Location. So you're not just hoping that the right candidate stumbles across your post. And here's a stat that says it all in the minute that I've been talking to you. Companies like yours have already made 27 hires on Indeed, according to Indeed Data Worldwide. So if you're hiring, spend less time searching and more time interviewing candidates who check all of your boxes with Indeed Sponsored Jobs. Just go to indeed.com podcast and you'll get a $75 sponsored job credit to help give your job the premium status that it deserves. Again, that is indeed.com podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire. This is a job for Indeed Sponsor jobs.
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Marcus Moer
Welcome back to the Lot Done Cowboys podcast. Don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club where you can get ad free episodes of the Loton Cowboys Podcast. Plus exclusive Discord server access with Landon and I where you can chat about the Cowboys all day long. Just go to Loton Cowboys.Supercast.com to join the club. All right, Lane and I want to talk about the offensive line here because this is a. A very interesting spot. Generally or typically, the Cowboys will keep at least nine offensive linemen. Sometimes they'll even go up to 10. They've got their starters at least. We think this is the starting offensive line. Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper, B.B. tyler Booker, Taron Steele. Those are your five. We know that Nate Thomas is going to be on the team. That's six. You know that T.J. bass is going to be on the team. That's seven. You know that Drew Shelton, who the Cowboys drafted in the fourth round to pick 112, is going to make the team. That's eight. And then it's going to be really, really tricky because then you've got guys like Matt Hennessy, who is really the only true backup center you have on his team. You've got Trevor Keegan, who they clearly like, who's been on the roster now for, I believe, two years. You've got a Johnny Cornelius, who they drafted last year on the right side. How many offensive linemen do you think they keep and who could be on the bubble here?
Landon McCool
I think that Keegan, Hennessy and Bass probably are all playing for two spots. Right?
Marcus Moer
That's the way I would view it.
Landon McCool
Two spots.
Marcus Moer
Yes.
Landon McCool
I think they probably can't afford to keep all three just because of all the reasons you just mentioned. They also have to account for tight end. And similarly, I think that at tackle, you, you know, Shelton, not Thomas, but Shelton and Cornelius. I wouldn't be surprised if they were each playing for a spot, I think.
Marcus Moer
Should we go back real quick?
Landon McCool
Yeah, yeah.
Marcus Moer
Bass is on this team. They just guaranteed bass 5.2 million this year. He's on this team. Right. So it's really Hennessy and Keegan fighting for one spot.
Landon McCool
Yeah. I mean, the question becomes, like, how much position flex does Hennessy have? How and similarly to Keegan right? Like, how are they. Is Keegan able to play center? Is Hennessy able to play guard? I think that, you know, we'll see how, how they fit. Obviously, like you said, they liked Keegan a lot. I mean, this is. He was a former Eagle guy that, you know, had, did some development. They liked what he saw. He got some opportunity to play for them. So, yeah, I, I do think that, you know, it's going to be interesting to see like, how, how that all kind of plays out a little bit because you have to feel like Bass is clearly the, the starting, kind of not starting, the, the first guy off the bench right in the interior trio, I, maybe even at center, depending on where, how they feel about his ability at center. But I think that the rest of the guys are going to be kind of, you know, behind him in, in the race for, for kind of five offensive backup or I guess interior offensive line backup, two and three, if they're gonna carry that many.
Marcus Moer
Yeah. My guess is that Hennessy ends up being the guy that makes the roster just because he's the best backup center. And we should mention Cooper Bibi, through two years has not been the most durable player. Now some of it's just been fluke right now. I think there's also a situation Tyler Booker actually worked out at the combine at center, so maybe you could slide him inside and if you wanted to keep Bassett guard, I don't know that I would do that, but it's, it's at least an option. What I find more fascinating here, Landon, is the tackle situation because you've got Guyton who's. I, I think he's starting at left tackle. I know there's been this push to believe that he is in a competition with Tate Thomas. I, I just don't buy that. But you've got Guyton at left tackle. You've got Thomas, who's really been exclusively a left side player, whether it's left guard or left tackle. And then you got Drew Shelton, who is a left side player as well. So my question is, if Terrence Steele goes down for a game, who is your right tackle? Because I honestly don't know.
Landon McCool
I mean, I, I hope that they're working Nate Thomas on the right side more or at least trying to cross train him because ultimately, you know, you should be trying to also angle him as a potential replacement for Terence Steel at some point down the road. I mean, it doesn't obviously need to be this year, but I mean, I would like for him to at least start to get used to playing on that side a little bit more so that he could potentially take that spot over. So I don't know if that means that, you know, you move him permanently over to the right side and he becomes like, you know, you try to like fully transition him to right tackle and then Shelton is your backup left tackle, which I think is probably more appropriate for Shelton. But I, I do think that, you know, you do have a situation where you've got three guys who, you know, one guy who is clearly it's very similar to the interior situation, right where you've got one backup who you feel is the probably the superior backup to the other two guys and you need to kind of sort out what you're doing with, with Shelton Cornelius.
Marcus Moer
I've seen also a big push from Cowboys nation that they want them to sign a veteran tackle and there are some names available, including Taylor Decker who was released by the Lions. And I understand the thought process, process of hey, get somebody else who's been in a lot of big games. The list gives you a higher floor. But at the same time, Landon, like I, I, I don't hate the idea, but you kind of need to give Guyton and Thomas and Shelton every possible snap in OTAs, in minicamp and training camp before you make that decision. Because if you're going to draft a first round tackle who is a developmental project, you've got to be patient enough to let that guy to actually develop before you bring in a washed up veteran.
Landon McCool
Well beyond the fact that you also have, you know, spent already a lot of resources and money at the position, you can't necessarily afford to just kind of give up on, on Guyton at this point, especially when he show, I feel like he has shown us some things when he's been healthy. The problem has been staying on the field and I'm not disagreeing that that isn't an issue that he needs to overcome. But if he's shown you the capability of doing it, especially an offensive line in the NFL, like you need to kind of foster that as much as you can. And again, they have several other first round picks on this offensive line and an expensive off free agent or, you know, contract with steel like you, the money is spent, the resources have been spent here. Like you just need them to kind of be healthy and stay on the field and get some continuity and then we'll kind of hopefully see the best of this group.
Marcus Moer
Two more quick things before we move on. I know there was a charity baseball event over the weekend where Tyler Smith talked About the, you know, potentially playing left tackle again. And he certainly has mixed feelings about it, but I think when you just look at the depth chart, it just doesn't even make sense. Like, playing him at left tackle, you. You've got now a surplus of tackles and you've got an issue at guard. You've got. Now TJ Bass would be your starting left guard, and then Hennessy and Keegan would be your primary backups. You would need to go out and sign another guard. It's. It's why I, I just can't see that happening.
Landon McCool
I also think that the ceiling at tackle for Smith isn't as high as it is for Guyton. Like, if you can get Guyton to work and stay healthy, like, he has a level of athleticism that fits that position a lot better than Smith does. I think Smith can do it and do it at a probably better than average left tackle rate. But he's an elite guard. Why would you move him from there? And if you can get Guyton to get at that level, which I think he can reach, if he stays in the field and just gets a little more consistent, you're getting the best of both worlds.
Marcus Moer
The other thing that I wanted to mention is I, and I know that there's been people pushing for a Nate Thomas vs Tyler Guyton competition at left tackle. And I get it from the sense of like, okay, let's try to really push Guyton and not just give him the job. But there's been nothing on tape that suggests that when these two players are healthy, that it's close and Guyton is younger, he's more athletic. I think when you're hit, when you have Thomas in these games, you're just trying to survive and you're. You have to alter your game plan and that's fine. Like, you can do that around a swing Guy, but I think he's better as a backup that as a starter.
Landon McCool
I mean, yeah, like, it's not like we haven't seen Thomas play and he's still this unknown mystery box thing. We've seen him play and it's been up and down to be.
Marcus Moer
And they're the same draft class, you know?
Landon McCool
Yeah, it's. I don't think, I think it's been more up and down than when Guyton has been. Oh, that's unhealthy, you know, and so, like, that's. Again, the goal is to get Guyton healthy and playing more and, and get some consistency and then we'll probably see the best of Guyton. I I think that trying to flop this situation to see if Thomas is the more talented player when I think it's been pretty clear that Guyton has been the more talented player when he's been out there and healthy is a mistake.
Marcus Moer
The only way that I could see this being a real competition is if it ends up being like the Lyle Collins, Terence Steele situation a couple years ago, where was the way more talented player? But because Steel was at every single workout, he was doing everything the coaches asked for. There was just a confidence in his ability to outwork everybody. Right. I don't get that vibe with Guy. I think he's just had some bad luck.
Landon McCool
Yeah, absolutely. I, I don't. I mean, I, I feels like he worked really, really hard to kind of improve. And he did improve last year.
Marcus Moer
Yeah.
Landon McCool
And had some bad injury luck. Let's give him another opportunity to kind of get back on the horse and improve again.
Marcus Moer
All right, let's talk about the wide receivers, because the Cowboys are likely only going to keep five wide receivers this year, but could they still make one more move at that position? We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA playoffs are here and every possession matters. And if you're looking to get even closer to the action, FanDuel has a great offer to get you started right now. New customers can bet just $5 and get 150 in bonus bets if your first bet wins. That's right, turn 5 bucks into 150 in bonus bets just for getting started. I like using FanDuel during the playoffs because everything I need is right there in one place. You can check stats, trends and matchups before making your picks, which makes the whole experience just make it feel a lot more informed. We've got our four teams left in the semifinals. It's going to be so much fun, especially in the Western Conference with the Thunder and the Spurs. So go check out all of the lines and odds available on FanDuel. Head over to FanDuel.com to get started. FanDuel play your game.
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Marcus Moer
Welcome back to the Loth on Cowboys Podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. Landon. I wanted to talk about the wide receivers because it's a position that Outside of CD Lamb and George Pickens we don't really talk about enough. But yeah, we know the top three, right? Yeah, Lamb, Pickens, Flournoy. I think we feel pretty confident that Turpin is going to be on this team as one of the five receivers. But I think strangely they need one more guy and it's this last roster spot at receiver between Jonathan Mingo, Trayshawn Holden Marquez, Valdez scantling Jordan Hudson. It's gonna be a battle to see who earns that spot. And I'm not sure that their last receiver on the roster is on their roster currently right now.
Landon McCool
I can't believe he didn't bring up Paris Campbell. Yeah, no, listen, here's the thing. I think the issue that we have here is that wide receiver, you know, he plays a very kind of specific role on this team. Right. And it's not even just about playing wide receiver, it's about playing special teams. It's about getting in there and being a blocker at times in the wing and, and the problem with the guys that are kind of eligible for the, for the job. Right. You mentioned about the scantling Mingo like just let's just kind of go through them one by one real quick like elder scandaling. Like that's, this is not exactly what he, he's, he's doing at this point in his career. He's obviously a late in this career veteran. You don't necessarily want him running down on special teams and making tackles, that sort of thing.
Marcus Moer
He's a, he's a, he's an out wide speedster. That's. Yeah, that's what you brought him in for.
Landon McCool
And you're not, and you're not necessarily looking for a situation where he is going to be kind of the scrappy blocker, dig up, dig a, you know, crack blocking a defensive end, you know, sort of guy either. Right. So obviously it feels like Valdez Candle is coming in here as like a, a camp body, right. To come in here and just kind of facilitate some stuff. Jonathan. Bingo. Like, I mean the interesting thing there is obviously the upside, the physicality he has there. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he is a good fit for the role that he would need to play like special teams, like I said, special teams. Being a good blocker, I think he could be, but I don't think that like it's like a handed glove fit necessarily. Like he needs to certainly work towards that. And then I think the other guy that they kind of mentioned here, I think is Treshawn Holden, who was, you know, the undrafted free agent last year, obviously has some familiarity with Junior Adams and was at Oregon and you know, you, you, this is one of those guys that I, I think is eligible for. Oh my gosh, look what this guy did in the off season. And he was in the training room all year. And so maybe he comes in and looks like a different player. If none of those guys kind of matches up with what you need at the position, I'd certainly think that the Cowboys could be in the market still to kind of go out and get another guy. Because again, like you said, that fifth wide receiver position, especially in this offense or whatever you want to call that spot, it has a very kind of defined role and you have a lot of guys who you kind of like as upside wide receiver types maybe, but none of them are necessarily eligible to kind of fill those very specific role that you have for this team, that you need on this team. So it is interesting to see how that's going to play out.
Marcus Moer
As I said, 90 of that role is going to have nothing to do with catching passes.
Landon McCool
Yeah.
Marcus Moer
And that's why guys like, you know, who are available right now, like Keenan Allen and Debo Samuel and Stefan Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins, like they're all going to be much better players than the guys that we're talking about. But they don't fill that role of the fifth receiver that's going to get probably 10 targets on the season. Their job is to block their butt off and play on special teams. And I just don't know if any of the guys they have now are going to be good enough to fill that role. They need their version of Noah Brown who coincidentally is a free agent right now, but they need a younger, cheaper version of that.
Landon McCool
Yeah. And, and again, like, I think obviously they also need to be able to run routes and catch the football because that, that will be asked of them. But again, that's not going to be the vast majority of what they're actually going to be doing at that position. So you need to find someone who is a adept and not just, you know, oh, a guy that we like because we think he has potential wide receiver, upside and then he's running down as a punt gunner, he misses a tackle and someone returns a punt for a 75 yard touchdown and the only consequential play that that guy will have this season. Right.
Marcus Moer
Think about like Jalen Brooks. That's the type of receiver they are looking for here. And I, I got, I'm thinking they're hoping that one of the guys that they either signed or drafted, Anthony Smith, it can maybe be that. That guy. We'll see. All right, that is it for today's show. We'd like to thank you for making Laton Cowboys your first listen every single day. Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast so you get all of the latest episodes. And if you never miss an episode, the Everydayer Club is built for you. Get lot on Cowboys AD free plus members only, Discord Access and so much more. Head over to locked on cowboys.supercast.com to join the Join the Club A couple of notes really quickly. On Tuesday show, we'll be doing the other side of the ball. We'll look at the defense and some of the interesting camp battles going on there. The squad show that usually is recorded and posted on Monday is actually going to be going up on Tuesday for the next two weeks because of Memorial Day next week. So again, be on the lookout for that. Follow Landon on Twitter acoolbcb. I'm Arcus Underscore Moser and we'll see you right back here tomorrow.
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Marcus Moer
Notes.
Episode Title: ROSTER CRUNCH: Who Should the Cowboys CUT or KEEP behind Javonte Williams | 53-Man Roster Update!
Date: May 18, 2026
Hosts: Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool
This episode of Locked On Cowboys is a deep dive into the current state of the Dallas Cowboys' offensive roster as OTAs get underway. With the 53-man roster in mind, Marcus and Landon debate which positions are set and which are still facing genuine competitions. The conversation focuses heavily on the running back group behind starter Javonte Williams, depth chart questions at quarterback, tight end, and offensive line, and how the “roster crunch” could impact players currently on the bubble. The hosts also analyze the upcoming camp battles at wide receiver and how special teams considerations factor into final decisions.
On running back needs:
“It’s crazy how much better I would feel about this offense if they just had a viable RB2… just a veteran who has been in big games, who can pass block a little, who can get what’s blocked...”
– Marcus Mosher [03:28]
On special teams and WR5 competition:
“You need to find someone who is adept and not just…a guy that we like because we think he has potential wide receiver upside, and then he’s running down as a punt gunner, he misses a tackle…and the only consequential play that guy will have this season.”
– Landon McCool [28:11]
On offensive line flexibility:
“I think Keegan, Hennessy, and Bass are all playing for two spots.”
– Landon McCool [14:02]
On Guyton vs. Thomas for left tackle:
“I don’t think it’s been more up and down than when Guyton has been out there and healthy…The goal is to get Guyton healthy and playing more and get some consistency…”
– Landon McCool [21:21]
The conversation is candid and analytical, with both hosts providing measured takes rooted in current NFL tendencies and past Cowboys’ practices. They don’t hold back from critiquing the weaknesses on the roster, but also point out potential upside for young or developmental players. There’s a continual emphasis on the realities of cap space, roster math, and special teams’ needs, reflecting the tone of seasoned analysts deeply familiar with team-building.
This episode offers a thorough, position-by-position breakdown of the Cowboys offensive roster as the team heads toward training camp and preseason cutdowns. The hosts spotlight key roster battles, warn about thin spots (particularly at RB2 and backup OT), and explain why even talented prospects may not make the cut this year. The WR5 and backup RB competitions are highlighted as especially pivotal, with strong acknowledgment that special teams contributions will make or break those roster dreams. The episode sets up anticipation for the defensive roster breakdown in the next show and previews several intriguing camp battles that every Cowboys fan will want to watch.