Dallas Cowboys: 5 players I’m not totally sold on yet
Of the Dallas Cowboys players that are locks to make the final 53-man roster, here are five that I am not totally sold on yet.
The Dallas Cowboys will play their third preseason contest of the year this weekend, and a final exhibition matchup just four days later. For many fringe players, these last two games and the limited practices between now and September 1st are their last chance to make the Cowboys final 53-man roster.
But this late in the offseason, we know many of the names that are locks to make this squad. And out of those players, there are five I still have plenty of questions about.
Therefore, here is my list of five Cowboys that I am not totally sold on going into the 2018 regular season.
Tavon Austin, WR
The former eighth overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft spent the last five seasons with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams trying to live up to his lofty draft status. Although Austin appears to be flourishing in Dallas so far, I’m not sure I have enough confidence in offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to tap into his creative side in order to unlock the speedster’s true potential.
Blake Jarwin, TE
Emerging early as the possible candidate to take over the starting role from the now-retired Jason Witten, Jarwin has since proven himself to be more of a wide receiver than the overall player Dallas needs at the position. We’ve seen a similar tight end with an identical skill set in former second-rounder Gavin Escobar flame out fairly recently in Dallas. I’m not convinced Jarwin isn’t just an Escobar-clone.
Leighton Vander Esch, LB
The Cowboys 2018 first round selection certainly possesses the size and speed to excite fans about his potential. But I have yet to see the tenacity and fire you’d like out of a player some have compared to Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher. As a first rounder, Vander Esch will be given every opportunity to grow into the starting role. But you’d certainly like to see more out of a player Dallas selected at a position that wasn’t their biggest need at the time.
Xavier Woods, FS
Even before his recent injury, many fans believed Woods was simply a stand-in for an impending Earl Thomas trade. And although he hasn’t made many mistakes at the position this offseason, he hasn’t made many plays either. Woods’ absence and the subsequent scramble by Dallas afterward only proves just how weak the Cowboys are at the position. Unless a big move is made, even a returning, healthy Woods is still reason for major concern.
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Allen Hurns, WR
Initially sold to fans as a complement to Dez Bryant in Dallas, Hurns became his de facto replacement when the Cowboys released their longtime number one receiver in April. But as the top receiving threat in Dallas, Hurns has been more of a beta rather than an alpha. In fact, it appears the bulk of the Cowboys receiving hopes lay on the shoulders of third-round selection Michael Gallup rather than the veteran wideout who is entering into his fifth NFL season.