Cowboys Cut 20 Players to Reach 53-Man Roster Limit
[picappgallerysingle id="9548439"]To trim the roster from 75 to the league-mandated 53, the Cowboys cut 20 players on Saturday, a day after trading wide receiver Patrick Crayton to the Chargers and guard Pat McQuistan to the Dolphins. The Cowboys had several young players fighting for spots on the depth chart and those decisions have now been made. The notable names that were let go by Dallas include veteran defensive tackle Junior Siavii, and sixth-round draft pick Jamar Wall, who was the only 2010 draft pick to be cut. Below are the 20 players cut by the Cowboys:
OT Will Barker
OG Travis Bright
DE Marcus Dixon
RB Herb Donaldson
TE DajLeon Farr
CB Cletis Gordon
WR Jesse Holley
WR Manny Johnson
OLB Curtis Johnson
CB Bryan McCann
RB Lonyae Miller
LB Steve Octavien
TE Jason Pociask
TE Martin Rucker
DT Jimmy Saddler-McQueen
LB Brandon Sharpe
DE Junior Siavii
OL Mike Tepper
CB Jamar Wall
CB Teddy Williams
The Cowboys were predicted to keep four cornerbacks, as Godon, McCann, Wall, and Williams fought for that hypothetical spot throughout the preseason. However, Dallas only kept three cornerbacks in Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins, and Orlando Scandrick. To compensate, the Cowboys kept six safeties, including fourth-round draft pick Akwasi Owusu-Ansah. In retrospect, the Boys really do have four corners because Owusu-Ansah has the athletic ability to play all positions in the secondary.
[picappgallerysingle id="9554779"]After third-string tight end John Phillips tore his ACL in the Hall of Fame Game, the Cowboys signed Martin Rucker, DajLeon Farr, Jason Pociask, and Scott Sicko to fight for that third spot on the depth chart. It turns out that was a hypothetical position as well since Dallas cut all tight ends on the roster except starter Jason Witten and backup Martellus Bennett. To compensate for that third spot, the Cowboys kept undrafted rookie fullback Chris Gronkowski along with veteran Deon Anderson. Gronkowski will be used as a third tight end when needed in addition to backing up Anderson in the backfield.
The Cowboys also cut three of the eight linebackers on the preseason roster, Steve Octavien, Curtis Johnson, and Brandon Sharpe. Octavien and Johnson are both veteran players, but Dallas kept second-round draft pick Sean Lee and undrafted rookie Brandon Williams over the two older players. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips obviously has confidence in his young players at every position, not just linebacker. Phillips has expressed his high expectations of his defense, and his keeping of so many young players in the secondary only further illustrates that confidence.
[picappgallerysingle id="9572975"]After Crayton was traded, the Cowboys made no surprises at the wide receiver position. The Cowboys kept second-year speedster Kevin Ogletree and fifth-year veteran Sam Hurd in addition to first-round draft pick Dez Bryant. Those three will complete the rotation at wideout along with Roy Williams and Miles Austin. Don’t count out 2009 practice squad members Holley and Johnson. Both players could easily take Ogletree’s spot if he struggles at all in 2010. The Cowboys can sign several of the previously mentioned players to their eight-man practice squad after they clear waivers.
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[...] who was released by Detroit on Saturday. Also, three of the twenty players cut by the Cowboys to reach the 53-man roster limit have been claimed by other franchises off the waiver wire. Sixth-round draft pick Jamar Wall has [...]
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