The rookies squared off against each other and then the veterans got their turn to join in. Members of the 2021 draft class and the UDFA haul learned where they will play positionally and then saw the uphill battle for playing time that lies ahead with where they sit on the early depth chart. As OTAs and veteran minicamp came and went in June, intel was gleaned but no definitive statements have been made.
The Dallas Cowboys still have a lot of work to do beyond just being more healthy than their 6-10, 2020 version. But now? After a week of glorified walk throughs in the cool breezes of California, it’s time. Mike McCarthy’s troops will begin earnest preparations starting Tuesday, so it’s only right there is one final projection of who will be with the team in September and in what pecking order.
The youth movement is definitely underway. 11 rookies make the club out the box along with another four making the 16-man practice squad. Were the real roster cutdowns come close to resembling this, and then the Cowboys have a successful season, it would be a great sign towards the development of a consistent threat in the NFC.
This season, the NFL returns to having three different roster cuts.
The first set of cuts, which will involve a reduction of five players (putting the roster at 85), will take place on Aug. 17, four days after the Cowboys play their second preseason game against the Cardinals before returning to Dallas.
Then there will be another reduction by five (moving the roster to 80 players) on Aug. 24, three days after the club hosts the Houston Texans. Finally on Aug. 31, two days after the Cowboys’ final preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the roster is trimmed from 80 to 53 players.
After teams get down to 53 players and those released clear waivers, teams can begin to build their practice squads. Previously the limit was 10, but last year it was expanded to 12 before the Covid-19 changes to the CBA that pushed the total up to 16 slots. That returns for the 2021 roster with teams being able to block 4 players a week from being poached by other teams.