OAKLAND -- Late in the season it's not so rare to come up with more than seven inactive players.
In attempting to figure out the Dallas Cowboys' 46-man active roster for Sunday night's game against the Oakland Raiders, it’s easy to come up with more than seven players to sit.
First, cornerback Orlando Scandrick (back), defensive end David Irving (concussion), linebacker Justin Durant (concussion) and wide receiver Brice Butler (foot) have been ruled out because of injury.
The Cowboys also don’t need a third tailback (Trey Williams) or a fourth tight end (Blake Jarwin).
You can make the case they don’t need an eighth offensive lineman (Chaz Green), ninth defensive lineman (Daniel Ross) or eighth defensive back (Bene Benwikere), too.
So when you get down to the final few spots, who brings the most value?
Let’s start with Benwikere. He has become a pretty big part of the special-teams unit, but if something were to happen to Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis or Anthony Brown at cornerback, Benwikere can step in and play.
Given the presence of Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, Ross makes some sense because he can bring size to the defensive line at 305 pounds. Ross has yet to play since the Cowboys claimed him off the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad, but his addition was made with a long-term view.
With La'el Collins getting two practices in for the first time in three weeks because of a back injury, Green would seem to be the most dispensable. With Byron Bell already active as the swing tackle, Green’s only real function without two injuries up front would be on the field goal protection unit. Is that enough value to dress on gameday?
So the guess at the inactives is: Scandrick, Irving, Durant, Butler, Williams, Jarwin and Green.
