When was the last time the Dallas Cowboys were this busy adding to their roster? Within a 12-hour span late Wednesday and early Thursday, the Cowboys replenished the depth of their defensive line by trading for veteran nose tackle Jordan Phillips and signing free agent pass-rusher Carl Lawson.
Assuming health, it stands to reason that Phillips and Lawson will make the 53-man roster. They are clear upgrades over what Dallas currently has at defensive tackle and edge rusher. They plug the biggest holes on the roster and their arrival makes Mike McCarthy and Mike Zimmer's job all the more complicated as the NFL's annual roster deadline draws closer.
While the Cowboys have obvious cut candidates, they have two preseason games remaining as well as two weeks of training camp. A lot can change in that time. Trey Lance could cement his case as QB2 after a rough preseason debut, while someone like Jalen Cropper could come crashing back down to earth.
It makes for a gripping next couple of weeks. In the meantime, Dallas' next cut of preseason feels like a foregone conclusion thanks to McCarthy.
"Obviously his behavior is unacceptable," McCarthy said, via ESPN. "It’s something that’s been addressed. He has apologized, and I’m comfortable with his apology. I was obviously on the offensive side of the field when it happened. I had a chance to talk to Mike Zimmer and Sean McVay. When it did happen, we removed him from practice. Frankly, when I saw the video a few hours later after the practice, I called Sean again. His response to me was, ‘You’d have been proud the way your coaches reacted.’ I just want to make sure that behavior is unacceptable. Emotional discipline in that moment. That’s not what we’re about, and he clearly understands that.”
If you missed the play, Cowboys DT Albert Huggins shoved a Rams coaching intern who was posing as the quarterback in pass-rush drills. Huggins won his rep and whereas most players would halt their momentum and job back to the line, Huggins needlessly extended his arm and sent the staffer to the ground.
Rams not happy about Cowboys DT Albert Huggins knocking down a member of their staff pic.twitter.com/QxAWpKEt1I
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 14, 2024
The bogus hit drew the ire of Rams head coach Sean McVay and several Rams players, who charged at Huggins. The 27-year-old made the situation worse by waving the middle finger at Los Angeles' offensive line. Thankfully there wasn't a fight and the Cowboys acted quickly to eject Huggins from the practice.
It is honestly a surprise Huggins has not been waived yet. The writing was on the wall after Wednesday's practice and his fate should have been sealed after Dallas added Phillips and Lawson to their defensive front. Instead, it was veteran nose tackle Carl Davis who was waived Thursday.
The Cowboys should have sent a message and cut Huggins after practice. He hasn't performed well in camp and played poor in the preseason opener. He may have lived to practice another day, but this story has a predictable ending.
