What will the "America's Team'' roster will look like when the Dallas Cowboys kick off against the New York Giants on Sep. 10?
With several 53-man roster projections likely set to come out in the coming weeks, it is worth noting that predicting it with 100-percent accuracy is difficult. That being said, ESPN's Todd Archer made a rather notable cut prediction in his Cowboys' projection, which saw him leave off receiver KaVontae Turpin.
"The toughest omission was Pro Bowl returner KaVontae Turpin. With the change in the kickoff rule, I went with Vaughn as the return man," the plugged-in Archer writes.
Archer evaluates the rest of the top of the receivers depth chart by noting that "(CeeDee) Lamb is poised for another big season, (Michael) Gallup has to prove he is 100-percent returned physically and mentally from a torn ACL in 2021. ... (and Brandin) Cooks should be well worth the fifth-round pick the Cowboys gave up to get him from Houston."
Some call this "shocking.'' We'll call it "notable,'' as we've long discussed whether Turpin can really help the Dak Prescott-led offense - or be allowed to help the offense.
A roster projection idea could have Dallas carrying just five receivers (with Jalen Tolbert and Simi Fehoko in), making Turpin the odd man out. The new kickoff rule, which allows the returner to call for a fair catch within the 25-yard line leading to the ball then automatically being placed at the 25-yard line, could lessen the importance of what Turpin does best as a return man.
Turpin, of course, made the Pro Bowl for the Cowboys as a rookie last season due to his game-changing ability as a returner. Rather than keep him on the roster and make a cut elsewhere, ESPN here opted to cede return responsibilities to rookie running back Deuce Vaughn. Of course, that doesn't account for what Turpin does as a punt returner - another matter altogether.
Turpin didn't make an impact in the passing attack for the Cowboys last season, but his presence was undoubtedly felt on returns. Is he on the bubble at camp in Oxnard? We're about to find out.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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