# Clarence Hill: 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. **Claimed:** Aug 25, 2026 **Pundit:** Clarence Hill — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/clarence-hill **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/e7ecae9e-a654-4019-b6b9-2e56b59232e0/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=d5ae5375-e417-4df4-8c3d-3d7ba352b111&awEpisodeId=e7ecae9e-a654-4019-b6b9-2e56b59232e0&feed=4Fqey2NA 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. > PJ Locke is a lock because he knows the system. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **James Houston to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: James Houston, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **P.J. Locke to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: P.J. Locke, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess - **Tommy Dunn to make the roster** - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Tommy Dunn, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Downs to be 3rd on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **James Houston to be 5th on the depth chart** - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: James Houston, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - James Houston — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/james-houston - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - P.J. Locke — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/p-j-locke - Tommy Dunn — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tommy-dunn - Caleb Downs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-downs ## 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) - 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=clarence-hill