Clarence Hill· Aug 25, 2026
Hill insists James Houston makes the roster as the fifth edge, calls PJ Locke a lock at safety, sees Tommy Dunn as a practice-squad target, and views Caleb Downs as the team's third safety who will play nickel.
“PJ Locke is a lock because he knows the system.”
said on air, transcribed by us · DLLS Dallas Cowboys (podcast) · read the original →
5 checkable claims — 3 roster spot calls and 2 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 5 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 5 have settled so far, averaging 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 1 unsettled call enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room.
Where this call stands in the room
Caleb Downs · 2026 season5 calls from 4 pundits between 1 and 3. Clarence Hill said 3. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
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Who this take is about
5 checkable claims in this take
Each one is scored on its own against the published methodology. A pundit naming several outcomes is graded on each, not on all-or-nothing.
- Roster Spot CallsJames HoustonDallas CowboysAug 25, 2026
James Houston to make the roster
“Y'all put James Houston on that team, man. ... I think James Houston makes a team.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- DAL
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- James Houston
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Roster Spot CallsP.J. LockeDallas CowboysAug 25, 2026
P.J. Locke to make the roster
“PJ Locke is a lock because he knows the system. He's a CP guy from Denver. You ain't gotta worry about PJ Locke.”
Hit · 100Scored 100a naive guess scored 100+0 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- DAL
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- P.J. Locke
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Roster Spot CallsTommy DunnDallas CowboysAug 25, 2026
Tommy Dunn to make the roster
“target for the practice squad, most likely”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsCaleb DownsDallas CowboysAug 25, 2026
Caleb Downs to be 3rd on the depth chart
“I think he's the third safety. Like, he'll be the guy who takes one of their spots”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsJames HoustonDallas CowboysAug 25, 2026
James Houston to be 5th on the depth chart
“I believe James Houston is fifth as well.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Nate TiceScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysHit · 100Tice 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.
- Geoff SchwartzGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Filling 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.
- Michael IrvinGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Irvin 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.
- Jeff CavanaughGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Jeff 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.
- Michael IrvinGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Playing 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.
- Danny ParkinsGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Parkins 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.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Zach ErtzMiss · 0Kerr 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.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Chance CampbellHit · 100Kerr 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.
- Carter BahnsRoster Spot Calls · Jeshaun JonesMiss · 0A 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.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Chance CampbellHit · 100Kerr'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.
- Jeff KerrRoster Spot Calls · Chance CampbellHit · 100Kerr'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.
- Ralph VentreRoster Spot Calls · Christian BenfordMiss · 0Ventre 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.