# Randy Gurzi: Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player he expects Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. He also predicts Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere. **Claimed:** Aug 31, 2026 **Pundit:** Randy Gurzi — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/randy-gurzi **Outlet:** Sports Illustrated — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/sports-illustrated **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/onsi/dallas-cowboys-practice-squad-predciction-includes-surprise-outside-addition 19 checkable claims — 17 roster spot calls and 2 trade and signing calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 20 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 5 of 19 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls. > That could lead to Blue being claimed, but the Cowboys are still able to bring back two promising running backs in Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Reddy Steward to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Reddy Steward, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Israel Abanikanda to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Israel Abanikanda, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Justin Barron to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Justin Barron, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Nick Leverett to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Nick Leverett, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Curtis Robinson to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Curtis Robinson, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Michael Trigg to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Michael Trigg, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Anthony Smith to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Anthony Smith, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Tommy Dunn to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Tommy Dunn, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jordan Hudson to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jordan Hudson, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Evan Neal to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Evan Neal, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Julius Wood to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Julius Wood, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Marcellus Johnson to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Marcellus Johnson, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Shiyazh Pete to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Shiyazh Pete, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jay Toia to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jay Toia, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Adedayo Odeleye to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Adedayo Odeleye, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaydon Blue to move — “claimed off waivers by another team”** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Jaydon Blue - Verdict: not settled yet - **Sam Williams to move — “fresh start elsewhere, possibly another team's practice squad”** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Sam Williams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Zion Childress to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Zion Childress, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Phil Mafah to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Phil Mafah, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Reddy Steward — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/reddy-steward - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Israel Abanikanda — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/israel-abanikanda - Justin Barron — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/justin-barron - Nick Leverett — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nick-leverett - Curtis Robinson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/curtis-robinson - Michael Trigg — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/michael-trigg - Anthony Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/anthony-smith - Tommy Dunn — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tommy-dunn - Jordan Hudson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jordan-hudson - Evan Neal — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/evan-neal - Julius Wood — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/julius-wood - Marcellus Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/marcellus-johnson - Shiyazh Pete — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/shiyazh-pete - Jay Toia — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jay-toia - Adedayo Odeleye — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/adedayo-odeleye - Jaydon Blue — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaydon-blue - Sam Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/sam-williams - Zion Childress — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/zion-childress - Phil Mafah — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/phil-mafah ## What others said about the same people - Nate Tice on Dallas Cowboys: Tice picked the Bengals over the Texans in a low-scoring game, the Jaguars at Denver, the Bears over the Vikings, the Patriots over the Steelers and the Rams to edge the Giants, and his Hail Mary was the Cowboys scoring 40 on Washington. He also floated Abdul Carter as a possible All-Pro. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b6211c80-3d1c-46b8-8a0c-151fc0ba92de (scored 100) - Geoff Schwartz on Dallas Cowboys: Filling in on the chips segment, Schwartz took Jacksonville to beat New England, the Bengals to beat the Steelers, and the Cowboys to beat the Ravens on the Brazil field. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/16a6038d-e679-4e3f-98bf-f0371ec25a14 (scored 0) - Michael Irvin on Dallas Cowboys: Irvin went game-by-game through the Cowboys' 2026 schedule and predicted a 13-4 finish, with losses to Houston, Philadelphia (Week 7), Seattle and the Giants in Week 17, and a season sweep of Washington. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/321d5125-d077-43d6-b09a-5ea5886eec68 (scored 0) - Jeff Cavanaugh on Dallas Cowboys: Jeff went game-by-game through the Cowboys schedule, initially arriving at 13-4 before flipping a game to settle on a 12-5 final record prediction, with Dallas beating the Giants, Commanders, Ravens, Buccaneers, Packers, Cardinals, Colts, 49ers, Titans, Eagles (home), plus wins to close, and losing to the Texans, Eagles (road), Seahawks and Rams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d04cb132-e9f4-4e11-bb0b-cf0982762ad9 (scored 0) - Clarence Hill on Dallas Cowboys: Clarence predicted an 11-6 Cowboys season, picking wins over the Giants, Commanders, Ravens, Packers, Cardinals, Colts and Titans while giving losses to Houston, Tampa Bay, both Eagles games, the 49ers, Seahawks and Rams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/012c1829-1611-4a5a-b27b-f592577a3e65 (scored 0) - Michael Irvin on Dallas Cowboys: Playing the game-by-game "win loss" exercise, Irvin picked the Cowboys to finish 13-4, with losses only at Houston, at Philadelphia, at Seattle and at home to the Giants in Week 17. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/8c7e90c6-e16b-4ee6-8da6-e4dd4b9adb5d (scored 0) ## More roster spot calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Jeff Kerr on Zach Ertz: Kerr expects Zach Ertz to be elevated from the practice squad and play in the Eagles' Week 3 Monday night game against the Bears, and to serve as Philadelphia's clear TE1 with Dallas Goedert out. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7e4fa8de-f88c-4d45-b568-49992a356539 (scored 0) - Jeff Kerr on Chance Campbell: Kerr ranks the Eagles' eight undrafted free agents by their chances of making the initial 53-man roster, with Kapena Gushiken the most likely and predicts at least one UDFA makes the 53. He also forecasts practice squad spots for Zion Wilson, Deontae Lawson and Maximus Pulley, and a release for long snapper Rocco Underwood. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6ec1d507-c7b6-4873-a0a2-76817706e297 (scored 100) - Carter Bahns on Jeshaun Jones: A CBS Sports piece expects suspended Vikings receiver Jeshaun Jones to lose his roster battle and be cut by the Aug. 30 deadline, given Minnesota's established receiver group. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/98c7155f-d05c-43cb-8c03-4f50d43211a8 (scored 0) - Jeff Kerr on Chance Campbell: Kerr's third Eagles 53-man roster projection names the players he expects to make the team at each position, with Cole Payton, Elijah Moore, Johnny Wilson, Gabe Hall and Rocco Underwood left off; he also predicts Underwood is exposed to waivers and returns to the practice squad, Deontae Lawson lands on the practice squad, and Eli Stowers is the TE3. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/2120c4ea-7113-4ebf-9ebc-0d4a62d83c3a (scored 100) - Jeff Kerr on Chance Campbell: Kerr's updated 53-man roster projection for the Eagles after eight training camp practices, naming which players make the team at each position plus depth-chart placements like Wicks as WR2, Mundt as TE2, Kendall as third guard, Bell as third tackle, and Epps/Carter battling to start at safety. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/328a952b-d6b4-4065-aac9-0029421fb50f (scored 100) - Ralph Ventre on Christian Benford: Ventre expects Christian Benford's toe injury to sideline him for at least the Week 4 game against New England, and believes the Bills will have to add a cornerback to the 53-man roster this week — likely by moving Benford to injured reserve — with practice squad rookie Kani Walker the most likely player elevated. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/94b844fe-bb22-4517-81f5-6263eb0213f1 (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=randy-gurzi