5 Dallas Cowboys Veterans in Jeopardy of Being Cut

With the Dallas Cowboys now in Frisco for the duration of the preseason, the candidates for who is truly competing for a roster spot are starting to become apparent. Still, Dallas has had various young players step up in training camp, putting pressure on this front office and coaching staff when it comes to rounding out the final 53-man roster.

Every year, decision-makers across the league are dealt scenarios where they have to decide between a young player with upside and an experienced veteran. The struggle to make decisions with the upcoming season and long-term plan in mind is always the most difficult.

For the Cowboys, the next several weeks will be filled with tough conversations about whether to go with youth or experience in several deep positions. Let’s take a look at five Dallas Cowboys veterans that could be on the hot seat.

Dallas Cowboys Veterans in Jeopardy of Being Cut

Jaylon Smith

This has been an ongoing dialogue for some time, and until recently, I’ve refused to get on board with losing Smith. He’s everything a team could want on and off the field.

It’s not easy to say goodbye to guys like that, but I’m not sure where Smith’s snaps are going to come. This offseason, Dallas brought in three linebackers, drafting Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox, and signing Keanu Neal.

I don’t know how Dallas is going to take Parsons off the field. His speed, instincts, and versatility have been on display throughout camp, and on a defense with plenty of question marks, I can’t see them sidelining one of their best players.

Leighton Vander Esch appears to be healthy and has also had an excellent camp. Guys with his size just shouldn’t be able to move like he does, and it appears he is on track to remind everyone of the excitement they felt following his rookie season.

On top of that, Neal and Cox have looked terrific in coverage, with Neal likely being the Cowboys’ passing-down specialist. So where does that leave snaps for a player that is set to account for $9.8M this year?

Smith can be the third linebacker in our base package, but how often are we expected to field that personnel? Maybe 15-20 snaps a game. Is that getting the proverbial bang for your buck?

It just seems like a split is coming, and with the way Luke Gifford has looked, we’ve got five capable linebackers on this roster without Smith. He’s been one of my favorite Cowboys over the past four years, but it’s time to move on.

Dallas can save $7.2M by trading him or just bite the bullet and release him. Either way, he’s owed $6.8M in dead money for 2022.

Ty Nsekhe

This is going to be a long-going debate over the next few weeks. Dallas needs a veteran presence at the swing tackle position after Tyron Smith and La’el Collins suffered significant injuries last year.

Still, Nsekhe hasn’t exactly latched onto the job, while Terence Steele has shown improvement from a year ago. Now I’m not saying that I’m ready to trust Steele with this role quite yet, but he looked pretty good against Arizona on the left, albeit against reserves.

However, there are other options at tackle on this roster. Connor McGovern is this team’s sixth-best linemen, and we could even debate that he should be higher. With that in mind, I’m less concerned with kicking Connor Williams or Zack Martin outside, knowing what McGovern brings to the table at guard.

Cutting or trading Nsekhe saves the Cowboys $1.25M this year if they decide to move on. I would expect him to play more in the final preseason games than we’ve seen to this point, and his play will be vital to him making this roster.

Tarell Basham or Dorance Armstrong

This is where I start mixing veterans into the same conversation because Dallas may not need two. In this case, there will be a variety of things to consider, including the fact that the guy who pushes Basham or Armstrong off the roster may not be here yet.

Prognosticators can harp about the inexperience and concerns in our secondary but make no mistake, this pass rush will have their fair share of struggles in 2020. Demarcus Lawrence has 11.5 sacks in the last two seasons combined, and while his value against the run can’t be understated, I’m just not sure he gets back to the 14-sack form we saw in 2017.

Randy Gregory has drawn more “breakout” labels than any Cowboy heading into this season, but he’s got 10.5 sacks in 38 career games. I get that this is the first time he’s had a full offseason with the team in some time, but he’s also one slip up away from being suspended again.

I’ll add that even if these two do reach double-digits in sacks this year, there still isn’t a ton of production behind them. Basham only has 7.5 sacks in 58 career games, and Armstrong has 2.5 in 46 games.

I get that Armstrong has looked impressive in camp, but that hasn’t exactly been uncommon in past years. However, we’ve failed to see it translate into success in the regular season, and that’s why I’m leaning towards him over Basham.

Maybe a player like Bradlee Anae or Ron’Dell Carter continues to impress over the next two weeks, and could even see Dallas reach out for a veteran on the trade block. Whatever the case, I am not sold that this group can get consistent pressure on the quarterback, which is compounded by the injury to Neville Gallimore.

Anthony Brown or Jourdan Lewis

It’s been an exciting camp for corners, as many have shown promise. Yet we don’t have a concrete starter opposite Trevon Diggs. That’s why Brown and Lewis are here. Brown is an experienced player on the perimeter and in the slot.

However, both his health and play have been inconsistent, and it almost seems to be a forgone conclusion that Kelvin Joseph will eventually crack the starting lineup this season. Nashon Wright has also shown promise on the perimeter, as has Reggie Robinson.

As for Lewis, he’s been a mainstay in the slot when healthy, but if Brown stays, he also has experience inside. On top of that, Maurice Canady has been one of the more pleasant surprises in camp.

Still, none of the players I’ve mentioned as potential successors for Brown or Lewis are proven commodities making this a bit of a gamble. However, Brown and Lewis could be battling each other in the end.

Both are veterans with a proven record in the slot when healthy. If Dallas is going to throw some of these youngsters into the deep end of the pool, there may only be room for one of the veterans.

If Brown is traded, the Dallas Cowboys save $4.25M this year with only $1.5M in dead money for 2022. However, cutting him would only net them $2.5M in cap relief with the same future financial commitment.

Trading Lewis would save them nearly $1.5M this year while cutting him would only benefit the Cowboys for the available roster spot. The bottom line is the Cowboys have some intriguing young talent that could be long-term fits on this roster moving forward, and I’m not sure Brown or Lewis’ play this offseason warrants ignoring that.

Malik Hooker or Jayron Kearse

Both of these players can make a case to benefit this roster in 2021, and I wouldn’t be shocked if each are Cowboys come week one. Still, Israel Mukuamu continues to flash a unique skill set that can help this team long-term.

He’s got incredible length that has shown up in coverage and as a tackler, and I could see him being a passing-down substitution for Wilson. Mukuamu can also help on special teams, making the rookie a deserving candidate for the team.

While Kearse has had his moments during camp, he’s really a special team’s ace with a similar yet less potent impact on the defense as Donovan Wilson. Neither offers much in coverage, while both are hard-hitting enforcers in pursuit. I’m not sure you need two guys like this on the roster.

On the other hand, what does Hooker offer beyond this season, and will he be at full strength when it starts? Sure, if Hooker returns to form, he can be a stud for the Cowboys in 2021. However, that also likely prices him out of returning to Dallas next offseason.

As for his availability week one, that is what the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to see in the coming weeks. Any delay over that stretch could likely seal Hooker’s fate.