3 roster changes Cowboys should make after embarrassing Week 2 loss to New Orleans
Change for the sake of change isn’t always the best course of action to take after something dramatic happens, but the Dallas Cowboys need to do something after their embarrassing Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints. In fact, a few changes here and there could help the overall productivity of the team moving forward.
Today, we are going to take a look at three roster moves the Cowboys should consider making to help fix some of their problem areas through the first two weeks of the 2024 season.
Make LB DeMarvion Overshown a starter
DeMarvion Overshown looked and played fantastic against the Cleveland Browns in the 2024 season opener, but for whatever reason saw his snap count decrease significantly in the Week 2 matchup with the New Orleans Saints. Overshown (18 snaps) played less than Damone Clark (41 snaps) and Marist Liufau (39 snaps) at linebacker in their embarrassing loss to the Saints. There’s reason to believe things will be different for him in Week 3.
Expect similar playing time (44 snaps) and production (9 tackles, 1 QB sack) for DeMarvion Overshown had from Week 1 against the Browns this week against the Baltimore Ravens. He is the perfect type of sideline-to-sideline LB with speed to help combat QB Lamar Jackson’s dual-threat ability. Although Mike Zimmer hasn’t come out and said it just yet, Overshown could be best used as a spy in Week 3 to help contain the Ravens slippery QB.
Give WR Ryan Flournoy some playing time
Minus CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys don’t really have another true playmaker on offense to make Dak Prescott’s job easier. The consistency simply isn’t there from Brandin Cooks or Jalen Tolbert, and with Jake Ferguson recovering from injury, the team could use a boost. It might be time to see what Ryan Flournoy can do, Dallas’ sixth-round pick (216th overall) this year.
Flournoy is listed at 6’1″, 200-pounds on Dallas’ roster and would bring something a little bit different to the table for the Cowboys passing game, a strong size/speed combination. He ran a 4.44 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process and would give Dak Prescott a legit speed element to target, with the additional ability to high point the ball. something that could help in the redzone. He could be a spark that helps gives a boost to Dallas’ passing game.
Promote RB Dalvin Cook from the PS to the active roster
The Dallas Cowboys rushing attack, or lack thereof, through the first two weeks of the 2024 season leaves much to be desired. Ezekiel Elliott has a total of 16 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown, Rico Dowdle has 55 total yards on 15 carries, and Deuce Vaughn has 15 yards on three carries. Not one of the three has really looked like starting material so far, and it’s really handicapping Dallas’ offensive productivity, making them one-dimensional.
With Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn not really moving the needle much in the rushing attack so far this season, it might be time for the Cowboys to turn to Dalvin Cook. The 5’10”, 210-pound eight-year vet RB may be coming off a down year in 2023 after playing for both the Jets and Ravens, but he did rush for over 1,000 yards the season prior in 2022. It may be time to find out exactly how much, if anything, he has left in the tank.