The Dallas Cowboys have to make their final 53-man roster cuts have to be made by 4 pm EST on Saturday. Linebacker Francis Bernard, and undrafted free agent out of Utah, has been making waves throughout training camp due to picking up the playbook quickly and producing a few highlight moments in practice.
He was thought to have a real good chance to make the final roster, however, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Bernard was waived by the Cowboys just ahead of the deadline.
Surprise: Cowboys waived rookie LB Francis Bernard, source said. Been belief he'd done enough to make 53-man roster; picked up playbook quickly, produced standout moments in camp. Likely came down to special teams. Dallas wants on practice squad but has to clear waivers first.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) September 5, 2020
The move comes as a bit of a surprise considering the recent news out of the Cowboys linebacker room.
Even though this move was a shocker considering the play of Francis in training camp it doesn’t necessarily mean the end of his time in Dallas. The Cowboys would like to keep him on the practice squad but he’ll have to clear waivers first. Once a player clears waivers he becomes a free agent and can negotiate with any NFL team.
It’ll be interesting to see if anybody claims Bernard, and if not, will the Cowboys bring him back for another go stint in Big D?
Another interesting option could unfold.
Sean Lee will reportedly start the season on injured reserve after being diagnosed with a sports hernia during the conditioning phase of training camp. While the IR rules have changed and Dallas would be able to activate him after Week 3, he still has to make the initial 53-man roster before being placed on the reserve list.
That might open the door for Bernard to be in play for Week 1, not just back with the team, but on the big roster.
Bernard can still make the 53 for Wk 1 and I think he will.
They put Lee on 3-week-min IR on Sunday, that opens the spot to bring back Bernard.
IR assignments have to make the initial 53 in order to bring them back during the year.
Read the tracker, it explains all the rules https://t.co/ytvpDxSzTU
— KD Drummond (@KDDrummondNFL) September 5, 2020
To follow along with all of the cuts and the rules behind the roster and practice squad, check out our 2020 Roster Cut Tracker.
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