3 Cowboys players in danger of losing their job after 2023 NFL Draft
By Jerry Trotta
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2. Josh Ball
It speaks to the Cowboys' confidence level, or lack thereof, in Ball's development that they're converting him from tackle to guard. The former fourth-round pick is lucky the team didn't invest in an offensive linemen sooner than they did -- or sign a bigger name than Chuma Edoga in free agency.
Still, Ball will have to fight tooth and nail for a spot on the 53-man roster. Dallas likely won't keep more than 9 or 10 offensive linemen and six of those spots are locked up in the form of Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Tyler Smith, Terence Steele, Tyler Biadasz and Edoga.
Assuming Richards makes the team, you're talking about three players competing for two spots: Ball, Matt Waletzko and Matt Farniok. It's well-known the Cowboys are high on Waletzko, whose rookie year was derailed by shoulder surgery, and Farniok logged 190 offensive snaps in 2022 relative to Ball's 41.
Ball missed his entire rookie year in 2021 with injury, so he enters a make-or-break year three with minimal experience.