Cowboys Get Down To 53
The Cowboys have made their cuts to get down to 53 players. Nothing too surprising on this list, although there is at least one interesting takeaway. The Cowboys cut three running backs, leaving Alfred Morris and Tony Pollard as the only two currently with the team. That’s a strong indicator that the team is expecting Ezekiel Elliott back before Week 1.
Receiver Devin Smith also made the roster as their final receiver, which is a nice feel-good story. Drafted by the Jets 37th overall back in 2015, multiple ACL tears derailed his promising career. Smith has had brutal injury luck and hasn’t appeared in a game since 2016, so this is nice to see.
Waived:
OL Jake Campos
RB Jordan Chunn
WR Reggie Davis
WR Jalen Guyton
LB Nate Hall
OL Mitch Hyatt
TE Marcus Lucas
CB Donovan Olumba
LB Kyle Quiero
LS Drew Scott
DT Shakir Soto
DE Ricky Walker
RB Mike Weber
QB Mike White
DE Daniel Wise
Waived/InjuredL
Reserve/PUP:
WR Noah Brown
Reserve/Injured
DE Jalen Jelks
WR Jon’Vea Johnson
DT Daniel Ross
CB Chris Westry
Cowboys Sign DT Caraun Reid
It didn’t take long for Caraun Reid to find a new job. Jon Machota of the Dallas News reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys will be signing the defensive tackle. Dallas is expected to waive/injured Richard Ash in order to open a roster spot. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports that the Cowboys will also be signing safety Dominick Sanders, and the team is expected to place Jameill Showers on the IR.
The 26-year-old Reid had been battling a hamstring issue throughout training camp, but reports indicate that he’s now healthy. With the Colts rostering plenty of depth at the position, the organization decided to release Reid over the weekend so he could quickly find his next gig. The 2014 fifth-round pick out of Princeton contributed during his first two years in the league, including a 2015 campaign with the Lions where he compiled 29 tackles and two sacks in 14 games (12 starts). After playing in seven games with the Chargers in 2016, Reid tore his ACL, and he’s proceeded to play in only one game since that time.
In Dallas, Reid will be replacing Ash, who compiled 15 tackles in 10 games (two starts) for the Cowboys last season. The 26-year-old had suffered a knee injury during Saturday’s preseason game. Reid will presumably slide into the open spot on the depth chart, and he’ll compete with Jihad Ward, Datone Jones, and Lewis Neal to be the primary backup behind Brian Price and Maliek Collins.
Sanders worked out for the Cowboys last week. The Georgia product set a school-record with 16 interceptions, and he briefly caught on with the Eagles after going undrafted in this year’s draft. He’ll be replacing Showers, who tore his ACL this past weekend.
NFC East Notes: Giants, Scandrick, Cowboys
The Giants expressed interest in cornerback Orlando Scandrick when he was released by the Redskins last week, but he landed with the Chiefs before New York could arrange a visit, tweets Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. New York is set at outside corner, where Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple will start, but could still use help at slot, which is where Scandrick has experienced the most success. At present, veterans William Gay and Leonard Johnson are the leading candidates to play inside for the Giants, but given their interest in Scandrick, it stands to reason Big Blue could consider further additions — either via the free agent or trade market, or through a waiver claim — in the coming weeks.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Zack Martin went down on Saturday night during the Cowboys‘ second preseason game, but the news is expected to be positive for the All-Pro guard. Martin likely suffered a hyper-extended left knee, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com, who adds Martin is expected to undergo an MRI on Sunday. Speaking to reporters last night, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Martin’s knee issue was not expected to be “problematic,” according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. However, given his injury, Dallas could hold out Martin from game action until the regular season begins.
- While Martin is likely to escape a serious injury, Cowboys safety Jameill Showers wasn’t so lucky. Showers is believed to have suffered a torn ACL, tweets Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, and will have an MRI on Sunday to confirm. After entering the league as a quarterback in 2015, Showers transferred to defensive back, and has spent much of the past three seasons on Dallas’ practice squad. While he was far from a roster lock, Showers’ injury will further deplete the Cowboys’ defensive depth.
- The Cowboys need to add another receiver, opines Calvin Watkins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Dallas added free agent Allen Hurns and draft pick Michael Gallup to its receiving corps this offseason, but the position group as a whole hasn’t been overly impressive through two preseason games. While Watkins points to back-of-the-roster pass-catchers such as Noah Brown and Deonte Thompson as candidates for increased playing time, the Cowboys could conceivably look at free agents including Jeremy Maclin, Dontrelle Inman, or Brandon Coleman.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/2/18
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2018 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Carlton Agudosi
- DT Peli Anau
- CB Jarell Carter
- OLB Vontarrius Dora
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- WR Rashad Ross
- DT Pasoni Tasini
- RB Darius Victor
- OL Josh Allen
- LS Drew Williams
Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
- OL Travis Averill
- WR Demarcus Ayers
- DB Doran Grant
- WR Mekale McKay
- OL Will Pericak
- TE Colin Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
- WR Brian Brown
- WR K.D. Cannon
- T Jarron James
- S Jameill Showers
- DT Joe Vellano
- CB Marquez White
- RB Trey Williams
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
- WR Jake Kumerow
- WR Colby Pearson
- TE Robert Tonyan
- LS Zach Triner
- WR DeAngelo Yancey
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/19/17
Today’s practice squad updates:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DL Taniela Tupou
- Released: RB Jhurell Pressley
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Keyarris Garrett
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Mike Purcell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DL Tyrone Holmes, WR Jordan Leslie, DL Jhaustin Thomas
- Released: DB Najee Murray, DB Channing Stribling
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: S Jameill Showers
- Released: G Nate Theaker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Cyril Grayson Jr.
- Released: WR Fred Brown
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Jaydon Mickens
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: RB George Atkinson, CB Keith Reaser, DT Daniel Ross
- Released: DL Rickey Hatley, CB Taurean Nixon
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: WR Geremy Davis
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Bradley Sylve
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Claude Pelon
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: S Tyvis Powell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB David Rivers
- Released: CB Jonathan Moxey
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/13/17
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: T Givens Price, LB Scooby Wright
- Released: CB Ryan Lewis, RB James Summers
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Greg Mabin
Chicago Bears
- Signed: RB Josh Rounds
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Brian Brown
- Released: S Jameill Showers
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OT Storm Norton
- Cut: DE Pat O’Connor
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: G Darrell Greene
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: T Tyreek Burwell
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Larry Pinkard
- Released: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Jeff Richards
- Released: DE Isaac Rochell
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: C Jake Eldrenkamp
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: Antwione Williams
New England Patriots
- Signed: CB Ryan Lewis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB L.J. Fort
- Released: LB Matt Galambos
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: TE Gabe Holmes, CB Akeem King
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC East
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC East teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, and Redskins are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC East transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Dallas Cowboys
- Acquired:
- LB Jayrone Elliott (story)
- Claimed:
- DT Brian Price
- Cut:
- LB Mark Nzeocha
- DL Cedric Thornton (story)
- Signed to practice squad:
- G Nate Theaker
- T Dan Skipper
- DT Lewis Neal
- DT Richard Ash
- WR Lance Lenoir
- WR Brian Brown
- TE Blake Jarwin
- T Kadeem Edwards
- S Jameill Showers
- CB Marquez White
New York Giants
- Signed to practice squad:
- T Adam Bisnowaty
- DE Jordan Williams
- WR Marquis Bundy
- OL Jon Halapio
- LB Curtis Grant
- CB Donte Deayon
- CB Tim Scott
- S Ryan Murphy
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed to practice squad:
- C Josh Andrews
- TE Billy Brown
- LB Nate Gerry
- T Dillon Gordon
- DT Justin Hamilton
- RB Byron Marshall
- CB C.J. Smith
- QB Nate Sudfeld
- WR Bryce Treggs
- WR Greg Ward
Washington Redskins
- Claimed:
- OL T.J. Clemmings (story)
- Placed on exempt/left squad list:
- S Su’a Cravens (story)
- Signed to practice squad:
- DL Brandon Banks
- WR Robert Davis
- TE Manasseh Garner
- WR Maurice Harris
- G Kyle Kalis
- LB Pete Robertson
- S Fish Smithson
Cowboys Trim Roster To 53
The Cowboys navigated the busy cut week and moved down to the 53-man limit. Here are the players Dallas removed from its roster to reach the regular-season standard.
Released:
- S Robert Blanton (story)
- T Emmett Cleary
- RB Ronnie Hillman
- QB Luke McCown (story)
- QB Kellen Moore (story)
Waived:
- DE Richard Ash
- DE Woody Baron
- RB Brandon Brown-Dukes
- WR Brian Brown
- C Ross Burbank
- CB Dejaun Butler
- DT Jordan Carrell
- T Clay DeBord (injury settlement)
- G Kadeem Edwards
- LB Keenan Gilchrist
- CB John Green
- WR Karel Hamilton
- P Sam Irwin-Hill
- DT Joey Ivie
- TE Blake Jarwin
- WR Andy Jones
- LB Joseph Jones
- DE Lenny Jones
- WR Lance Lenoir
- DE Darnell Leslie
- LB Lamar Louis
- TE M.J. McFarland
- DE Lewis Neal
- WR Uzoma Nwachukwu
- CB Sammy Seamster
- S Jameill Showers
- G Dan Skipper
- G Nate Theaker
- CB Marquez White
- LS Zach Wood
Placed on Reserved/Suspended list:
- DE David Irving
- DE Damontre Moore
Placed on IR:
- RB Duke Thomas
NFC East Rumors: Cousins, Redskins, Cowboys
More bad news on the Kirk Cousins front. Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter links) hears that there isn’t a real price that will make the Redskins quarterback happy. The two sides, she adds, are at a point where they need each other but don’t want each other.
This comes on the heels of an Adam Schefter report indicating that a deal between now and mid-July is unlikely. Although there is an improved tone in talks, there apparently hasn’t been much in the way of forward progress. But, if Cousins is truly unhappy with the Redskins, then the problem is much more serious than just a disagreement over money.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- After converting to defense in 2016, quarterback Jameill Showers is working to make the Cowboys‘ roster as a safety. He faces competition from players with more experience in the secondary, but so far the early reviews for him are positive. “I’m really happy with what Showers has done,” Cowboys secondary coach Joe Baker told Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. “He’s turned his body from a quarterback body into a defensive back body, which looks a lot different. You can tell he looks slimmer. He’s moving a lot better. The whole athleticism part of it is so much different at that position, and so I’m really proud of how he’s worked. He’s still got a ways to go, but movement-wise in terms of his backpedaling, changing direction, all those things we do as defensive backs, he’s really doing a nice job.”
- The Cowboys worked out wide receiver Marquez North on Monday, according to a source who spoke with Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle (on Twitter).
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/16/17
Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2017 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters.
Dallas Cowboys
- G Clay DeBord
- G Kadeem Edwards
- WR Shaquelle Evans
- LB Jeremiah George
- TE Connor Hamlett
- DE Lenny Jones
- CB Jeremiah McKinnon
- DB Jameill Showers
- CB Sammy Seamster
- RB Rod Smith
- CB Duke Thomas
- LS Zach Wood
Houston Texans
- TE RaShaun Allen
- DE Brandon Dunn
- OT Laurence Gibson
- RB Kenny Hilliard
- WR Tevin Jones
- OLB Eric Lee
- ILB Shakeel Rashad
- OG Chad Slade
Seattle Seahawks
- C Ross Burbank
- FS Pierre Desir
- RB George Farmer
- DT Tylor Harris
- DT Shaneil Jenkins
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- WR Kenny Lawler
- TE Marcus Lucas
- C/OG Will Pericak
- RB Kelvin Taylor
Tennessee Titans
- CB Tye Smith
Washington Redskins
