# Jeff Cavanaugh: Jeff projected the Cowboys' offensive 53-man roster: nine offensive linemen (with Bass, Shelton, Leverett and Cornelius as the depth pieces and Nate Thomas and Keegan cut), three tight ends, Javonte Williams and Malik Davis atop the backfield, and five receivers with Mingo in and Camden Brown headed to the practice squad. He also gave reception and passing projections and said Jayshawn Barham will be starting before long. **Claimed:** Aug 26, 2026 **Pundit:** Jeff Cavanaugh — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/jeff-cavanaugh **Outlet:** DLLS Dallas Cowboys (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/dlls-dallas-cowboys-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://tracking.swap.fm/track/xt6bq09fJCm8CxP7DUGF/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/822/claritaspod.com/measure/prfx.byspotify.com/e/injector.simplecastaudio.com/d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111/episodes/5fabe9cf-1b11-4567-8e74-a3161d147bdf/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111&awEpisodeId=5fabe9cf-1b11-4567-8e74-a3161d147bdf&feed=4Fqey2NA 27 checkable claims — 12 roster spot calls, 8 depth chart calls and 7 player season numbers — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 25 players and teams, each linked to their own record. 7 of 27 have settled so far, averaging 85.7 out of 100, against 71.4 for a naive guess at the same calls. Of the 10 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 9. > So he stays, and Keegan goes, and we're gonna keep nine. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Luke Schoonmaker to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 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 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Ajani Cornelius to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Ajani Cornelius, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Camden Brown to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Camden Brown, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **TJ Bass to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: TJ Bass, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Drew Shelton to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Drew Shelton, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess - **Jonathan Mingo to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jonathan Mingo, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Jake Ferguson to record 70 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaydon Blue to record 15 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Nathan Thomas to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Nathan Thomas, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Trevor Keegan to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Trevor Keegan, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brevyn Spann-Ford to record 35–40 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Brevyn Spann-Ford, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Dak Prescott to record 4,500–5,000 passing yards** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Joe Milton III to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Joe Milton III, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **CeeDee Lamb to record 90 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Nick Nash to record 90 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Nick Nash, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Luke Schoonmaker to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Marquez Valdes-Scantling to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Javonte Williams to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaishawn Barham to be 1st on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jaishawn Barham, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaydon Blue to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Javontee Herndon to record 20 receptions** - Kind: Player Season Numbers · About: Javontee Herndon, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brevyn Spann-Ford to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Brevyn Spann-Ford, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **KaVontae Turpin to be 4th on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: KaVontae Turpin, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Ryan Flournoy to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Malik Davis to be 2nd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Malik Davis, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Travis Hunter to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Travis Hunter, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Luke Schoonmaker — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/luke-schoonmaker - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Nick Leverett — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nick-leverett - Ajani Cornelius — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ajani-cornelius - Camden Brown — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/camden-brown - TJ Bass — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tj-bass - Drew Shelton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/drew-shelton - Jonathan Mingo — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jonathan-mingo - Jake Ferguson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jake-ferguson - Jaydon Blue — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaydon-blue - Nathan Thomas — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nathan-thomas - Trevor Keegan — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/trevor-keegan - Brevyn Spann-Ford — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brevyn-spann-ford - Dak Prescott — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/dak-prescott - Joe Milton III — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/joe-milton-iii - CeeDee Lamb — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ceedee-lamb - Nick Nash — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/nick-nash - Marquez Valdes-Scantling — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/marquez-valdes-scantling - Javonte Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/javonte-williams - Jaishawn Barham — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaishawn-barham - Javontee Herndon — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/javontee-herndon - KaVontae Turpin — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kavontae-turpin - Ryan Flournoy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ryan-flournoy - Malik Davis — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/malik-davis - Travis Hunter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/travis-hunter ## 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) - 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) - Danny Parkins on Dallas Cowboys: Parkins predicted the Cowboys will finish 11-6, starting 5-1 with wins over the Giants, Commanders and an upset of the Ravens, splitting with Philadelphia, and beating Green Bay and Jacksonville, while losing to the Texans, 49ers, Eagles, Colts, Seahawks and Rams. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1a6d06c4-7bb0-43e7-891d-6f8b688d4f12 (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=jeff-cavanaugh