The Dallas Cowboys are juggling their starting lineup ... and maybe juggling the emotions and the egos of the players involved in the moves as well.
Dallas elevated two players to the 53-man roster from the practice squad on Friday ahead of Saturday's game versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cornerback Mackensie Alexander and center Brock Hoffman will be available versus the Cowboys' division-rival Eagles.
The decision to bring Alexander up seemed like a matter of time. ... and pregame indications from AT&T Stadium today indicate that he is now a starter, in the slot, with rookie DaRon Bland sliding outside.
Injuries to Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown left the Cowboys short of depth at cornerback, thus the signing of Alexander and two others (Kendall Sheffield and Trayvon Mullen). Just as problematic, though, are the recent struggles of Kelvin Joseph, which prompted defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to announce that "competition is up" for the cornerback spot opposite Trevon Diggs.
Joseph, the second-year corner, was handed Brown's job but benched in the loss to the Jaguars after giving up two touchdowns.
How much "competition'' to replace Joseph was there really? Not much; Alexander - a former second-round pick of the Vikings - was going to be the guy.
Maybe that's the answer. Maybe Bland, who leads the team in interceptions with four, becomes the team's second-best corner.
But long-term? People inside The Star concede that Joseph's difficult road - which tragically includes his offseason involvement in a murder investigation (he was cleared of any wrongdoing) - will require a strategic approach to helping him retain his confidence and focus.
Earlier this year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones challenged Joseph to "st
Moving Bland outside would leave Alexander to take Bland's spot on the inside. Playing in the slot was Alexander's role as part of the Minnesota Vikings under-then head coach Mike Zimmer. Meaning Joseph will be one of the first cornerbacks off the bench for Saturday.
The Cowboys will host the Eagles at 3:25 p.m. (CT) on Saturday inside AT&T Stadium.
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