The Dallas Cowboys thought they had something special in their 2020 UDFA class. After selecting James Madison quarterback Ben DiNucci with their seventh-round pick, the front office circled back around and acquired the Dukes player most prognosticators felt had the best chance of making it in the pros. Rutgers transfer Ron’Dell Carter earned one of the class’ largest guarantees among undrafted prospects, $145,000 including a $20,000 signing bonus.
Those large guarantees for a player who had to wait until after the draft to learn he had a professional future normally indicate a team has high hopes. So it was surprising the team didn’t protect Carter on the initial 53-man roster, instead placing him on the practice squad after he cleared waivers. Dallas came close to never having him on their active roster as the Indianapolis Colts signed him when their defensive line was ravaged, but three weeks later, he was back with the Dallas. Now, there’s a new defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn, a new defensive line coach in Aden Durde and a new opportunity for Carter to prove he belongs in the NFL.