You don't have to think too hard about potential Dallas Cowboys roster decisions that'd leave you pulling your hair out from the roots.
Keeping one of Marist Liufau or Sam Williams over James Houston would set social media ablaze, but what if the team launches logic out the window to protect rookie tackle Drew Shelton?
The first of Dallas' three fourth-round picks this past April, Shelton has had a really rough go of it in training camp, and those struggles have followed him into the preseason. He's been one of the worst offensive linemen in the NFL, regardless of position.
The Cowboys have built up a lot of goodwill this offseason. Shoehorning Shelton onto the 53-man roster just because he's a fourth-round rookie would be a misstep in an otherwise disciplined approach to roster construction.
He doesn't deserve to be on the team.
Drew Shelton does not deserve a spot on the Cowboys' 53-man roster
Shelton wasn't expected to step in as a Day 1 starter, so a steep learning curve was predictable. What wasn't expected was just how non-competitive some of his reps have been. They're "shield your eyes because you feel bad for the player" level of bad.
Tabbed as a good athlete with zero play strength but a moldable technique, Shelton's technique is nowhere to be found in Oxnard or Frisco.
Through two preseason games, Shelton owns a 13.5 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, having allowed seven pressures (second most among OTs), three quarterback hits (tied for the most), and one sack. He received a 3.0 pass-blocking grade against Arizona in a game that Dallas dominated the line of scrimmage from start to finish.
Shelton has followed that up with a horrific week of practice at The Star. Even Marist Liufau had no trouble getting past him (h/t Landon Holifield on X). If you're not even putting up a fight against a guy learning a new position, you probably shouldn't be on an NFL roster.
That, unfortunately, is where things are with Shelton. He shouldn't sniff the field in the regular season, so Dallas would be keeping a guy whom they'd essentially have to redshirt. Why bother?
Nate Thomas has had an iffy preseason, but his film is night and day compared to his rookie teammate.
The Cowboys have not shied away from expectations this year. From Brian Schottenheimer down to Dak Prescott, they expect to compete for a Super Bowl. They've really leaned into those expectations this year because, for the first time in a while, that belief feels genuine.
There's a connectedness and purpose within the organization that makes those championship ambitions feel like more than empty words.
Drew Shelton's draft status should not afford him roster security
A team that expects to play deep into January should not reserve a roster spot for a fourth-round draftee regardless of his performance.
Drew Shelton could very well be the reason bubble players like Camden Brown, Julius Wood, Ajani Cornelius, Alijah Clark, and Ameer Speed -- guys who've played well enough to make the 53 -- are left off. That sends a bad message.
Keeping Shelton wouldn't undo all of the goodwill Dallas has built up over the last several months. That's crazy talk. But it'd be a very unserious move for a team that finally seems to have turned the corner after years of flirting with dysfunction.
Shelton should have to prove himself just like the 20-something players who enter the weekend not knowing if they'll have a locker by Sunday evening. His draft status shouldn't afford him any more security than Tommy Dunn, Israel Abanikanda, Josh Butler, or anyone else fighting for one of the final roster spots.
No one's saying to jump off the bandwagon if Shelton makes the 53. But the Cowboys have spent the entire offseason showing that they're serious about winning.
This would be a really strange time to stop acting like it.
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