Unlike the 2011 season where need, youth and inexperience across the offensive line trumped all else on the Cowboys roster and barring significant injury to critical positions elsewhere on the team, this year it will likely be overall quality depth and talent that constitutes the case for the Cowboys to head into the season with a linebacker heavy roster.

From left, tight end, James Hanna (84), linebacker, Adrian Hamilton (53), cornerback, Mario Butler (31) and cornerback, Isaac Madison (30) participate in their pre-camp morning practice at Valley Ranch in Irving on July 26, 2012.

The Dallas Cowboys had two linebackers on the practice squad last season that left the team with a viable enough impression to warrant not being cut but instead kept throughout the season. Both Orie Lemon and Isiah Greenhouse may find it much harder this year to make even the practice squad with the influx of talent that the Jerry Jones and company imported onto the roster this off-season.

Could second year outside linebacker Alex Albright be on the bubble as well, when it comes to making the final 53-man roster? If not which young talented linebacker will it be that doesn’t make the squad?

It appears that the Cowboys will move Albright inside and ask him to learn the Mike position in defensive sets along with his need to contribute on special teams. It has been chronicled that Albright is a player the Cowboys defensive coaching staff is very high on.  The only logical explanation for this move is, two-part, due to the phenomenal play so far this off-season of undrafted free agent Adrian Hamilton, who is learning the in’s and out’s of the joker (outside/pass rush specialist) linebacker, and the need to thin out a log jammed position at outside linebacker.

The Cowboys drafted both linebackers Kyle Wilber and Caleb McSurdy this past April during the 2012 NFL draft and also signed UFA’s Aston Whiteside and Adrian Hamilton. Adding former Carolina Panther Dan Connor via free agency this offseason brought the total of linebackers on the current roster to thirteen. The team carried three inside linebackers and four outside linebackers on the opening day roster in 2011.

If the mainstay within the Cowboys linebacking community are most certainly DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, and Dan Connor. Then the obvious back-ups will quite assuredly be Victor Butler behind Ware, followed by the rookie Kyle Wilber in spot duty behind Anthony Spencer.

Rookie Kyle Wilber will likely make the team on the merit of draft status alone so where does this leave Adrian Hamilton? Will the Cowboys cut Adrian Hamilton? Hamilton is forcing the Cowboys to take notice. We don’t believe the former defensive end will be cut and if the team tries to slide him under the radar and onto the practice squad the UFA will without hesitation be signed by one of the twelve teams that had originally sought out the pass rushing specialist’s services once the draft was over. Hamilton, the former Prairie View A&M star broke the SWAC single season sack record, is simply too good to not receive an opportunity to play in the NFL.

Therefore it’s either Hamilton makes the roster or he is no longer a Cowboy and, as goes the luck of the Cowboys, ends up on the roster of a division foe terrorizing Dallas for years to come. Some one on the current squad is the heir apparent to Anthony Spencer. The team is too talent loaded at linebacker not to have someone capable of stepping up in Spencer’s absence after the 2012 season.

If Hamilton does land on the 53-man, equating to what is five outside linebackers then the next question is the number of middle linebackers to be carried by the team. Alex Albright made the roster last year so for him not to make the roster this year and earn a practice squad designation would seem to be a demotion of sorts that we don’t believe the player or the team will be willing to make or accept.

Therefore carrying Alex Albright along with Dan Connor to back-up both Sean Lee and Bruce Carter will leave the Dallas Cowboys holding onto a total of nine linebackers to begin the season. A move that would need to happen in order to retain the talent at linebacker the Dallas Cowboys have been stock piling the past few seasons.

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Last season the Cowboys opening day roster consisted of seven linebackers three of which were inside linebacker. Dallas wrapped up the 2011 NFL season with eight linebackers on the roster adding, rookie Bruce Carter, from the PUP list after week six.

May 4, 2012; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Caleb McSurdy with Kyle Wilber (51) during rookie mini-camp at Dallas Cowboys headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Not only do the Cowboys have all starting, reserve and practice squad outside linebackers returning to this season’s training camp but the team added linebackers Kyle Wilber and Caleb McSurdy during the 2012 NFL draft.

Along with the draft picks the Cowboys also added, Prairie View A&M standout Adrian Hamilton and Aston Whiteside of Abilene Christian, as undrafted free agents. Caleb McSurdy will likely compete at inside linebacker leaving seven outside linebackers to compete for four of the 53-man roster spots and two possible practice squad spots.

Many of you may have read the Dallas Cowboys mini-camp News, notes, and observations and if you have then you know up to this point in the offseason, Aston Whiteside has been heard from very little in his opportunities during OTA’s and mini-camp but his undrafted equal Adrian Hamilton has really been seen making the most of every opportunity thrown his way.  

Standing at 6’2.5″ Adrian Hamilton may not be as tall as some team’s desire with a 3-4 outside linebacker but whatHamiltonmay lack in size the player makes up with effort and ability.

Adrian Hamilton broke the Southwestern Athletic Conference single-season sack record with 20.5 as a defensive end lining up with a hand on the ground, a sack record that was previously held by Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis. But stillHamilton was left without an invitation to the NFL combine despite having a stellar senior season.Hamilton’s Prairie View pro day yielded results that wouldn’t have landed him tops in any of the desired combine measurable butHamilton wouldn’t have finished bottom rung either.

Hamilton is being moved to outside linebacker and still continues to show very good rushing agility along with the ability to get pressure up field. Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com admits that Hamilton has a chance to make the 53 man roster and looks very comfortable when dropping into coverage when the defense called requires him to do so.

Word on Adrian Hamilton coming out of Valley Ranch is that the converted linebacker is taking full advantage of every opportunity he is getting and delivering nothing but positive end results with those opportunities.

If Adrian Hamilton sustains the torrent pace, that he is being noticed for, through training camp the Cowboys will have some tough decisions to make when filling the four outside linebacker positions on the team and unless they plan to cut Alex Albright, who has shown potential, 2012 4^th round draft pick Kyle Wilber, or either two of last years practice squad linebackers then Adrian Hamilton will not make the team.

Everyone knows Victor Butler is not going anywhere along with Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware. Many also know that Adrian Hamilton will not last long on the practice squad before being plucked right out from under the Dallas Cowboys.

All this leaving the likely scenario of 2011 53-man roster occupant, Alex Albright, and Kyle Wilber being pushed to the bubble being either cut or placed onto the practice squad which will likely have them plucked from the Cowboys youth movement just as quickly as if Hamilton himself landed there.

Nonetheless a linebacker from last year’s team will not be on the team this year unless of course like last season when the Cowboys elected to keep ten offensive linemen on the roster due to the youth and inexperience across the line. The Cowboys could elect to go that route this year but instead at the linebacker position. A move like this could be executed in order to hold on to some of the youth that has been injected onto the roster during this offseason.

With Seven outside linebackers vying for four 53-man roster spots and one possible practice squad position how would you the fans like to see it all shake out?

The overall operation is to process recently drafted rookies and familiarize the newest Cowboys with the surroundings and structure of their new lives in the NFL. Playbooks will be distributed, strength and conditioning coaches will begin setting forth workout regimens for the future pro players and introductions to both offensive and defensive schemes will begin to manifest. Players will be ran through a battery of both physical drills and mental scenarios.

Along with the Cowboys recent draftees, Dallas will be signing twenty or so undrafted free agents. Expected are about 43 players for this week’s three-day rookie mini-camp. Six first-year players who spent last season on the practice squad and about 10 players on a tryout basis only will also be in attendance at this weekends mini-camp.

 The tryout invitees are those players not signed to undrafted free agent contracts but receive an invite to Valley Ranch strictly for the purpose of working out for the Cowboys.

Other than the signed undrafted rookie free agents the players invited strictly for tryout or workout purposes are not under contract and are basically on a tryout “only” basis with the Dallas Cowboys. Many of the mini-camp participants that arrive at Valley Ranch on a short term tryout basis  may end up being nothing more than camp bodies with hopes of catching the eye of someone who believes they can contribute to the team at some point in the future. 

However all signed undrafted free agents have inked three year deals which is the contract the player will perform under for the life of its term assuming the player makes the final 53 man roster or practice squad.

The players will not be in pads for this weekends rookie mini-camp but they will actually all get the chance to don the ever sacred silver and blue Cowboys helmet. For many of the tryout invitees this weekend could be the only time the player has a oppotunity to wear the NFL helmet that so many have grown up being childhood fans of. Some will go onto to other NFL mini camps as tryout invitees also but one would have to imagine this weekends camp holds a special meaning with many of the invitees.

Moving on, one particular point of interest is that, with Anthony Spencer who looks to only be a Cowboy for the 2012 season and not likely to be offered a long term deal, the team chose not to address the outside linebacker spot other than drafting Wake Forest linebacker Kyle Wilber. The only other attention that was given to the outside linebacker spot, by the Dallas Cowboys, was the signing of undrafted free agent from DE Adrian Hamilton from Prairie View A&M. Per Hamilton’s agent, Greg Linton, the Cowboys plan to use the 6’3″ 250 pound all time Southwestern Athletic Conference career sacks leader at the outside linebacker spot.

Where recent Cowboys draft pick Kyle Wilbur will be asked to play in space and play in zone coverage while being responsible for the running back coming out of the backfield. Sealing the edge against the run much like current outside linebacker Anthony Spencer will also be part of Wilber’s defensive assignements. Wilbur could actually end up being a better fit inside and could eventually find himself moved to inside linebacker at the next level.

Adrian Hamilton on the other hand will likely have the ears pinned back and asked to go get the quarterback. Lets not forget Hamilton’s propensity for blocking kicks on special teams. Other notable undrafted free agent signings by the Dallas Cowboys are as follows:

1. OT Taylor Dever, Notre Dame
2. TE George Bryan, N.C. State
3. CB Isaac Madison, Arkansas
4. TE Andrew Szcrerba, Penn State
5. RB Darrell Scott, South Florida
6. RB Lance Dunbar, North Texas
7. G/T Ronald Leary, Memphis
8. OT Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State
9. CB Troy Woolfork, Michigan
10. RB Bryce Beal, Houston
11. QB Nathan Dick, Central Arkansas
12. WR McKay Jacobson, BYU
13. WR, Cole Beasley, SMU
14. WR Tim Benford, Tennessee Tech
15. WR Donavon Kemp, UTEP
16. WR Saalim Hakim, Tarleton St.
17. OT Jeff Adams, Columbia
18. OT Tyrone Novikoff, Idaho
19. DE Aston Whiteside, Abilene-Christian
20. S Eddie Whitley, Virginia Tech
21. CB Lionel Smith, Texas A&M
22. LS Charley Hughlett, UCF
23. DE/OLB Adrian Hamilton, Prairie View A&M

While the list of undrafted free agents is definitive at this point and close to being a complete list. The list of tryout invitees hasn’t been confirmed yet but a couple names at this point are former Vanberbilt QB, Larry Smith, North Texas TE, Jamize Olawale and Midwestern State WR, David Little.

Hit me up on twitter @j0eo1s with any and all Dallas Cowboys questions

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