Predicting the Cowboys' 53-man roster

The off-season program is in the books for the Dallas Cowboys, and the first training camp practice is exactly a month away.

The Cowboys will begin training camp in Oxnard, California, on July 26, and that is when roster decisions will become clearer. But it’s never too early for a 53-man roster prediction.

QBs (3): Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Mike White

Three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster could be viewed as a luxury in today’s NFL, but the Cowboys have shown a willingness to carry an extra QB in recent years.

And this season should be no different. Rush had a standout preseason a year ago and figures to start the season as Prescott’s backup. White, meanwhile, is a developmental prospect the Cowboys felt good enough about to use a fifth-round pick on.

RBs (4): Ezekiel Elliott, Rod Smith, Bo Scarbrough, Jamize Olawale

Elliott is going to be the focal point of the offense this season and is ready for a heavy workload after being suspended for six games last season.

Smith emerged as a reliable option last season, and the Cowboys could view Scarbrough as a short-yardage option if Elliott needs a breather. And the Cowboys are expected to continue carrying a fullback, Olawale, on the active roster.

WRs (6): Allen Hurns, Tavon Austin, Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams, Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson

The Cowboys are remaking their receiving corps with the departure of Dez Bryant in the off-season. Hurns and Austin are the two highest-profile additions, with holdovers in Beasley and Williams.

Third-round pick Gallup is going to make the roster, too, leaving a battle for the final spot among Wilson, Deonte Thompson and Noah Brown.

The early guess is that Wilson wins a spot.

TEs (3): Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz

Replacing Jason Witten isn’t going to be easy, but the Cowboys like the crew they’ve got competing for playing time.

Swaim is the veteran of the unit and should get first-team reps. But the Cowboys had nothing but good things to say about Jarwin, and they like the potential of Schultz.

OL (8): Tyron Smith, Connor Williams, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, La’el Collins, Marcus Martin, Cameron Fleming, Joe Looney

The starting five — Tyron Smith, Connor Williams, Frederick, Zack Martin and Collins — is set. Fleming should be an upgrade at swing tackle over Chaz Green, and Marcus Martin and Looney provide interior depth.

DL (9): DeMarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford, Maliek Collins, Jihad Ward, Taco Charlton, Dorance Armstrong, Brian Price, Kony Ealy, Charles Tapper

Rod Marinelli likes using a rotation along the D-line and believes the team has good depth going into camp. Lawrence is coming off a standout season with Crawford and Maliek Collins being staples in recent years.

The hope is Charlton takes another step his sophomore season and Armstrong flashes the upside he showed two years ago in college.

Ward and Price provide inside depth as David Irving serves a four-game suspension to start the season.

LBs (7): Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Damien Wilson, Joe Thomas, Chris Covington, Justin March-Lillard

This unit has the chance to shine brightest with the addition of Vander Esch. Lee is an all-pro player when healthy, and Jaylon Smith continues to make progress from a devastating knee injury.

Thomas, Covington and March-Lillard give the Cowboys solid depth on defense and special teams.

DBs (10): Byron Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown, Duke Thomas, Jeff Heath, Xavier Woods, Jourdan Lewis, Kavon Frazier, Marquez White, Kameron Kelly

The secondary is among the youngest groups on the team, but all have potential. Jones appears to be a better fit at corner under Kris Richard, and Awuzie and Lewis flashed as rookies.

Safety could use help (hello, Earl Thomas), but Heath is a veteran and Woods is going to be given a shot.

Specialists (3): Dan Bailey, Chris Jones, L.P. Ladouceur

This unit has been together for years now and there’s no reason to change it in 2018.

This story was originally published June 26, 2018 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Predicting the Cowboys' 53-man roster."