Dallas Cowboys: 3 roster issues and the level of concern
By Brad Austin
On Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys were busy making final cuts to meet the 53-man roster deadline. More moves are expected in the coming days to finalize their most desirable game week roster.
Even with ongoing movement, it’s clear there are three roster issues that remain of common concern to Cowboys fans.
BACKUP QUARTERBACK
While often ranked between 5th to 10th among NFL starting quarterbacks, Dak Prescott appears dead set on elevating himself into the elite class this season. He’s in top physical shape and his intensity has escalated from its naturally high level.
While resting his strained shoulder during camp, Dak was locked in taking practice reps without throwing. He was often seen on the sideline barking and cheering at teammates throughout preseason games. Prescott appears to be on a mission.
That being said, ignoring concerns of him possibly aggravating his healed shoulder during the season would be naive. As with pitchers having a similar injury, there are cases of reaggravation. It may not be likely but is more likely than before camp.
Cooper Rush is the only quarterback currently on the roster besides Prescott. If Dak were to miss 3-4 games, would Rush be able to tread water in his absence? This question is hard to answer as Rush has only taken 26 regular-season snaps and thrown three passes in four NFL seasons.
Dallas would take a big risk if counting on an inexperienced backup. The smart play is to sign an experienced veteran for insurance, even if it meant carrying three passers.