Colts make initial cuts, trim roster to 85 players

The Colts have made initial roster cuts, bringing the roster down to 85 players.

The Indianapolis Colts made several moves on Tuesday to get the roster down to 85 players as per league rules.

The team announced a few different moves. First, they waived tight end Graham Adomitis and running back Darius Anderson. Then, they placed defensive end Damontre Moore on the injured reserve list and waived-injured wide receiver Quartney Davis and cornerback Nick Nelson.

If Davis and Nelson clear waivers, they will revert back to the team’s injured reserve list.

The league is trimming down rosters a bit differently in 2021. Tuesday’s deadline brings the roster down to 85 players. Then, the Tuesday following the preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings, another five players will be cut, bringing the roster down to 80 players. The Tuesday following the final preseason game, the roster will be trimmed down to 53 players.

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Colts sign two to the practice squad, release TE Xavier Grimble

Colts add to the practice squad.

The Indianapolis Colts signed running back Darius Anderson and tight end Charlie Taumoepeau to the practice squad and released tight end Xavier Grimble from the practice squad, the team announced Tuesday.

The Colts continue to make tweaks to the practice squad after initially signing 14 players on Sunday. Anderson is the only running back on the practice squad with four on the active roster while Taumoepeau joins undrafted rookie free agent Farrod Green.

Grimble spent the offseason with the Colts and saw some reps during training camp but was eventually released at roster cuts. He was re-signed to the practice squad but will now hit free agency.

The Colts now have 15 of their 16 spots filled on the practice squad, which means another move is likely coming before the Week 1 opener against the Jaguars.

TCU RB Darius Anderson will try to parlay part-time role into full-time employment with Cowboys

Darius Anderson comes into the 2020 season as an undrafted free agent out of TCU.

In 2020, the Dallas Cowboys have an elite one-two punch when it comes to the running back position. Coming off another stellar season, Ezekiel Elliott will be a primary focus for Mike McCarthy’s new system. Tony Pollard showed several glimpses of speed and hybrid abilities racking up 455 yards on the ground, scoring twice and adding 15 receptions and a touchdown catch as a rookie. While this is set up for a successful 2020, what if this year’s running back room was a three-headed monster?

Darius Anderson comes in as an undrafted free agent out of TCU. Anderson caught the eye of scouts at the 2020 Senior Bowl where he finished the game with 43 rushing yards along with 87 receiving yards and a touchdown. Considering the volume of touches in this particular game, Anderson made the most of it.

Anderson had almost 5,000 career rushing yards and over 50 rushing touchdowns in high school and helped lead his team to a state championship his senior year. When considering a college to attend, he ultimately decided to stay home in Texas and committed to Texas Christian University (TCU). Anderson didn’t see the field much as a freshman but followed up with 768 yards in his sophomore season and saw the endzone eight times.

He had only 598 rushing yards and three touchdowns in his junior year which was a set back in both yards and scoring. As a result of this, he entered into his senior year listed third on the depth chart but quickly moved his way up to the starting role where he was able to set his personal best in rushing yards with 823. He also showed versatility by catching 22 balls for 128 yards which was also a career high.

Anderson finished his collegiate career with 18 rushing touchdowns and was named honorable mention All-Big 12 in both 2017 and 2019.

Anderson’s strengths definitely lie within his vision and patience as a runner. He doesn’t have elite running back speed but he makes up for this in his ability to accelerate. Having this attribute opens the door for Anderson to get opportunities on special teams.

From The Athletic’s Dane Brugler:

Anderson is shifty in small spaces, but there is too much east-west on tape as he attempts to bounce runs outside. His marginal run strength and upright pads make it tough on him break tackles. In pass protection, he is barely a speed bump, squaring and extending, but rushers too easily go right through him. Overall, Anderson has the initial quickness to out-leverage pursuit angles and cut away from trouble, but he is too easily tripped up and needs to show better versatility as a pass catcher and blocker to warrant an NFL roster spot.

2019 Highlight Reel

2018 Game Film vs Ohio State

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4hHyBKu_Uc

On the surface the Cowboys may be all set at running back with Elliott and Pollard. The best chance for Anderson to make this year’s squad is definitely on special teams. However, much like how Anderson went into his senior year as the No. 3 running back on the depth chart, it may only take a few really good days in camp to show McCarthy that he’s due for a few reps to make some noise.


This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. 

| Antwaun Woods | Tyrone Crawford | Trysten Hill | Jalen Jelks |
| Dontari Poe | Randy Gregory | Gerald McCoy | Dorance Armstrong |
| L.P. Ladouceur | DeMarcus Lawrence | Blake Jarwin | CeeDee Lamb |
| Cole Hikutini | Dalton Schultz | Noah Brown | Sean McKeon |
| Ventell Bryant | Jon’vea Johnson | Blake Bell | Justin Hamilton |
| Cody Wichmann | Tyron Smith | Ladarius Hamilton |
| Neville Gallimore | Terence Steele | Joe Looney | La’el Collins |
| Zack Martin | Brandon Knight | Ron’Dell Carter | Wyatt Miller |
| Connor McGovern | Tyler Biadasz | Adam Redmond | Luke Gifford |
| Leighton Vander Esch | Justin March | Connor Williams |
| Bradlee AnaeSean Lee | Jamize Olawale | Joe Thomas |
| Francis Bernard | Sewo Olonilua | Reggie Robinson |
| Donovan Wilson | Rico Dowdle | Chris Westry |

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Rico Dowdle wants to, can, make Cowboys rush attack 4-headed monster

Get to know Cowboys rookie running back Rico Dowdle with this player profile.

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the best backfields in the league thanks Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. Mixing in the rushing prowess of quarterback Dak Prescott, the club has the recipe to gain over 2,000 yards on the ground for the fourth time in five years. However, if either of the two main runners were to miss time, who would step in in 2020?

Whether or not Dallas will keep a third running back on the active and game-day rosters, and who that could be, are some the few remaining questions Dallas has on the offensive side of the ball. One of the leading candidates to seize this potential opportunity is Rico Dowdle, a 2020 undrafted free agent who played his college ball at South Carolina.

Before the NFL

Dowdle began his journey to the NFL at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. Dowdle quickly became the teams workhorse, but entering his final year at Reynolds he switched to quarterback out of necessity.

As a senior in 2016, the future Cowboys running back led the area in many statistical categories and was the Western North Carolina Player of the Year, as he accumulated 2,545 rushing yards and 51 rushing touchdowns. Dowdle would add another 1,434 yards passing, along with 11 touchdowns. Throw in a receiving score, and Dowdle’s 63 total touchdowns were a regional record.

His success at the high school level garnered Dowdle interest from scouts across the nation. 247Sports ranked Dowdle as the No. 24 player in North Carolina and the No. 35 running back in the nation.

The Asheville native had multiple scholarships from Power 5 programs, but he ultimately chose to play college football in Columbia, South Carolina.

Dowdle had a successful year in his first season as a Gamecock where he rushed for a team-high 764 yards on 133 carries (5.7 yards per carry) in just seven starts. In one of his last games as a freshman Dowdle exploded for 226 yards, the sixth-highest mark in South Carolina history.

After a stellar initial season the explosive freshman was unable to build on the momentum he created, as he broke his leg and missed five games as a sophomore.

The next season as a junior Dowdle again led the team in rushing with 654 yards, but an ankle injury cost him the better part of three games.

In his farewell season the senior back won the South Carolina Offensive Tenacity Award, and finished with 498 yards after again missing time (two games) with a knee issue. Dowdle’s total of 2,167 rushing yards rank No. 15 in school history, even though he didn’t surpass 500 carries.

Despite an injury riddled four years in the SEC, and nine fumbles in his collegiate career, Dowdle did many things well enough to get on NFL scout’s radars.

Draft Process

The 6-foot, 215 pound running back has excellent size for the position, and he uses his frame, balance, and resilient running style to break through weak tackle attempts. Dowdle has the speed to run away from poor angled defenders, and his quick feet allow him to evade tacklers before finishing his runs with power.

Dowdle received a combine invitation, where he would go on to run a 4.54s 40-yard dash, record a 38″ vertical leap, and a 10’7″ broad jump, all excellent numbers.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, one of the most renowned draft experts, broke down Dowdle as a prospect.

Strengths: “Well-constructed size for the position…lowers his pads and runs with purpose at contact…uses balance and a stiff arm to keep his feet underneath him…quick feet and accelerates well to get through holes…displays run patience before finding and knifing through cutback lanes…posted double-digit catches each of his four seasons for the Gamecocks…makes up for his drops with sprawling catches on poor throws…goes low to chop down rushers in pass pro…approaches each game with a professional attitude.”

Weaknesses: “Overly methodical at times…quick-footed, but not naturally shifty…makes too much contact with blockers inside…fights the football at times as a pass catcher, leading to costly drops…responsible for nine fumbles over his career (54.4 fumble rate)…durability is a strong concern, missing two games as a senior due to a right knee injury (October 2019); missed playing time as a junior due to groin and ankle injuries (November 2018); broke the fibula in his left leg (October 2017),requiring season-ending surgery; missed the first four games of his true freshman season due to offseason hernia surgery and a tweaked groin.”

Summary: “A four-year starter at South Carolina, Dowdle shared the running back duties in the Gamecocks’ offense. He and Clemson transfer Tavien Feaster combined for 1,170 rushing yards in 2019, finishing his career 15th on the school’s all-time rushing list. A consistent finisher, Dowdle runs low and hard with the enough balance and juice that makes him tough to get on the ground. He can be as productive as his volume, but his college resume shows a troubling number of fumbles, drops and injuries that create dependability concerns. Overall, Dowdle is a hard-charging runner with the agility on cutbacks to quickly get north-south, projecting as an NFL running back worth of a roster spot if he can prove to reliable and healthy.”

The Big Leagues

Dowdle went undrafted in the 2020 draft, and was signed by the Cowboys to the standard three-year, minimum salary UDFA deal.

Usually offseason programs like rookie mini-camps are in place to give UDFA’s like Dowdle a chance to showcase their skills, but with Covid-19 wiping out a summer of practices and workouts, all fringe roster players are in an even steeper uphill battle.

It goes without saying there is a roster spot for Ezekiel Elliott, who will once again handle the majority of the backfield duties, and second-year speedster Tony Pollard earned an increased role after his rookie year.

The Cowboys released RB Jordan Chunn in July leaving only Dowdle, along with fellow UDFA Darius Anderson out of TCU, as the remaining tailbacks on the roster.

The kicker for both Anderson and Dowdle will be how many running backs Mike McCarthy and his mostly-new staff choose to keep around.

If the Dallas top brass does decide more backfield insurance is needed, the South Carolina product has a real chance to edge out Anderson, especially if Dallas feels comfortable with his medical situation.


This is part of our Countdown to the Regular Season player profile countdown. 

| Antwaun Woods | Tyrone Crawford | Trysten Hill | Jalen Jelks |
| Dontari Poe | Randy Gregory | Gerald McCoy | Dorance Armstrong |
| L.P. Ladouceur | DeMarcus Lawrence | Blake Jarwin | CeeDee Lamb |
| Cole Hikutini | Dalton Schultz | Noah Brown | Sean McKeon |
| Ventell Bryant | Jon’vea Johnson | Blake Bell | Justin Hamilton |
| Cody Wichmann | Tyron Smith | Ladarius Hamilton |
| Neville Gallimore | Terence Steele | Joe Looney | La’el Collins |
| Zack Martin | Brandon Knight | Ron’Dell Carter | Wyatt Miller |
| Connor McGovern | Tyler Biadasz | Adam Redmond | Luke Gifford |
| Leighton Vander Esch | Justin March | Connor Williams |
| Bradlee AnaeSean Lee | Jamize Olawale | Joe Thomas |
| Francis Bernard | Sewo Olonilua | Reggie Robinson |
| Donovan Wilson |


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Cowboys News: McCarthy back in Dallas, defensive line rotation a major puzzle

The head coach has returned to the city and is now allowed to return to the facility. What are his major tasks at hand?

Mike McCarthy can leave his post in Green Bay and head to Dallas. As part of the league’s reopening process, coaches can enter facilities on Friday, and begin to get to work in a more familiar fashion. The football world has wondered what the NFL would do in regards to fan attendance, and the governor has increased the capacity limit on Texas professional sports stadiums as part of the state’s reopening plan. The Cowboys of course are the central figure here.

Antwaun Woods kicks off Cowboys Wire’s annual player profiles, learn more about how a few short seasons have quickly changed his potential role within the Dallas defense. A pair of rookie defensive lineman, Neville Gallimore and Bradlee Anae could make strides in just their first season, and undrafted free agent running-back Darius Anderson proved his talent in his days at TCU. Plus, the Cowboys were able to save some money by waiting a bit to file Travis Frederick’s retirement, who should they sign with the remaining money? Here are the Dallas Cowboys news and notes.


Cowboys Coaches Can Return To The Star Friday :: Dallas Cowboys

McCarthy and his staff are finally able to get back to work inside The Star in Frisco. Hear from the new head coach himself on how the virtual offseason has went so far, and more.

 


Gov. Greg Abbott says professional, collegiate stadiums in Texas can operate at 50% capacity :: Dallas News

It appears fans will be allowed to attend Texas professional sporting events when they start back up in the fall. However, Governor Greg Abbott reveled that it can only be at 50 percent capacity.


Injuries robbed Antwaun Woods of a breakout 2019, may not be a chair left for 2020 :: Cowboys Wire

In the first edition of the Cowboys Wire player profiles, our own Dave Sturchio and K.D. Drummond take a deeper look at No. 99, defensive tackle Antwaun Woods, who finds himself in an interesting position in a quickly-crowded rotation of interior defensive lineman in Dallas.


Can Neville Gallimore and Bradlee Anae make an impact as rookies? :: Blogging The Boys

Draft experts unanimously agreed that the Cowboys got excellent value in the selections of Neville Gallimore and Bradlee Anae. David Howman from Blogging the Boys breaks down each of the two draftee’s chances at contributing in Year 1.


2020 NFL schedule: Ravens get huge travel-related advantage, Seahawks will fly the most miles :: CBS Sports

The Cowboys have the ninth-most travel yards to away games in the upcoming season, which isn’t great. However, they have zero games where they travel farther 2,000 miles, which is a good thing. Learn more about how much each team will be traversing the nation this season.


UDFA Profile: Former TCU RB Elusive, Explosive :: Dallas Cowboys 

If you were a fan of Big 12 football, you probably remember Darius Anderson. The TCU undrafted free agent could be an explosive third option should the Cowboys keep a trio of backs on the roster.


4 critical games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 :: Sport DFW

In the last seven weeks the Cowboys play four teams that are seemingly contenders, the Vikings, Ravens, 49ers, and Eagles. These four games could very well decide the Cowboys regular season.


Cowboys officially place Travis Frederick on retired list, freeing cap space :: Cowboys Wire

The Cowboys have placed Travis Frederick on the retired list, and have split his contract over the next two years, saving them useful cap space this season.


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2020 NFL draft: Darius Anderson scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about TCU running back prospect Darius Anderson

Darius Anderson | RB | TCU

Elevator Pitch

The former 3rd ranked prospect at running back in the state of Texas, Darius Anderson would eventually lead TCU in rushing. He earned himself a roster spot at the Senior Bowl. He could find himself as a backup at the NFL level but will likely need to be patient to earn himself much playing time.

Vitals

Height | 5-10

Weight | 208

Class | Senior

College Stats

College Bio

Strengths

Anderson can be counted on in terms of ball security, only fumbled four times during his time with the Horned Frogs. Runs with good contact balance and always seems to fall forward when being tackled. Defenses need to wrap up on Anderson, he fights through contact and will lower his shoulder to pop the defender.

Definitely a back who can run between the tackles, gets upfield with some burst. See the field well enough to find cutback lanes with the initial gap gets filled. Shows off these skills well in the return game on kickoff returns. Has some wiggle when he runs as well, can create more opportunities downfield with how shifty he can be. Good receiver with soft hands.

Weaknesses

Not a running back that can be counted on in pass protection. Will limit his ability to get on the field. Needs to either run the ball or be a receiver. Won’t break off a lot of huge runs, can get upfield quickly but lacks that second gear to run away from defenders. Speedy defensive backs and linebackers can catch him in pursuit.

When running upfield, Anderson can dance around a bit much trying to make something happen. Pad level seems a bit high, will take unnecessary hits from defenders at times. Can’t take the corner as much as he would like to, needs to just get north and south.

Projection: Day 3

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7 Senior Bowl players who would look good with the Cardinals

It is still early in the draft evaluation period, but these players already look like a fit for the Cardinals.

The NFL draft is still months away but because of the Senior Bowl, many draft prospects are fresh on the mind of NFL fans everywhere. Several players who participated in the Senior Bowl look like they would fit nicely with the Arizona Cardinals.

There is still much evaluation to do, but just what we know from how they played last season and what they did the week of the Senior Bowl, here are some players would would look great in Cardinal red.

South Carolina Javon Kinlaw

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Kinlaw was the talk of the Senior Bowl during the week. He created some buzz with his practice and some with what he said. He didn’t end up playing in the game but is expected to be a top-16 pick. He could land on the Cardinals’ radar and they desperately need more talent on the defensive line.

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Top performers from the 2020 Senior Bowl

See which players had the best numbers in the North’s 34-17 win over the South.

The Senior Bowl is over. The week of practices, interviews and media events have come and gone and the game was played on Saturday. The North team picked up the win Saturday afternoon 34-17.

The final score was of no real consequence, though. What matters more for the draft is how the individual players performed.

Who were the top performers in Saturday’s game?

UCLA Joshua Kelley

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Kelley was the leading rusher in the game. He had 105 yards on 15 carries. This is on the heels of being named by fellow players the North RB practice player of the week.

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