Randy Gurzi· Aug 31, 2026
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.
“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.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
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.
2 of 19 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
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Who this take is about
19 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 CallsIsrael AbanikandaDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Israel Abanikanda to make the roster
“Israel Abanikanda, RB”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-200 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- DAL
- skill:
- -200
- player:
- 5941aba3-1bca-466a-abb6-781a05388026
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he lands on the practice squad
- accuracy:
- 0
- 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:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Roster Spot CallsNick LeverettDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Nick Leverett to make the roster
“Nick Leverett, IOL”
Miss · 0Scored 0a naive guess scored 100-200 skillHow this was scored
- club:
- DAL
- skill:
- -200
- player:
- 54d7bdbb-13e0-4be4-8e25-fca585f9a237
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he lands on the practice squad
- accuracy:
- 0
- 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:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- Roster Spot CallsJay ToiaDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Jay Toia to make the roster
“Jay Toia, DT”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Trade and Signing CallsSam WilliamsAug 31, 2026
Sam Williams to move
“Williams would be best served to look for a fresh start elsewhere, and he's flashed enough potential to earn that, even if he has to begin on another team's practice squad.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Trade and Signing CallsJaydon BlueAug 31, 2026
Jaydon Blue to move
“That could lead to Blue being claimed”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsJustin BarronDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Justin Barron to make the roster
“Justin Barron, LB”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsZion ChildressDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Zion Childress to make the roster
“Zion Childress, S”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsPhil MafahDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Phil Mafah to make the roster
“Dallas Cowboys predicted practice squad — Phil Mafah, RB”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsMichael TriggDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Michael Trigg to make the roster
“Michael Trigg, TE”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsTommy DunnDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Tommy Dunn to make the roster
“Tommy Dunn, DT”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsAnthony SmithDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Anthony Smith to make the roster
“Anthony Smith, WR”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsJordan HudsonDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Jordan Hudson to make the roster
“Jordan Hudson, WR”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsReddy StewardDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Reddy Steward to make the roster
“Reddy Steward, CB ... he would be a viable emergency option and should be retained.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsAdedayo OdeleyeDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Adedayo Odeleye to make the roster
“Dayo Odeleye, DT (International Pathway Player)”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsShiyazh PeteDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Shiyazh Pete to make the roster
“Shiyazh Pete, OT”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsJulius WoodDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Julius Wood to make the roster
“In the secondary, Dallas brings back Julius Wood who was a star during the preseason.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsCurtis RobinsonDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Curtis Robinson to make the roster
“Curtis Robinson, LB”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsMarcellus JohnsonDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Marcellus Johnson to make the roster
“Marcellus Johnson, OT”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Roster Spot CallsEvan NealDallas CowboysAug 31, 2026
Evan Neal to make the roster
“Evan Neal, OT/G ... making him a surprise addition to our predicted practice squad.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
What others said about the same people
- Mike MoraitisTrade and Signing Calls · DaRon BlandHit · 100Moraitis names five Cowboys he expects to be playing their final season opener in Dallas in 2026: George Pickens (likely tag-and-trade or departure), Malik Hooker, Luke Schoonmaker, DeMarvion Overshown and DaRon Bland.
- Garrett PodellScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysMiss · 36Previewing the Week 1 'Sunday Night Football' game, the piece picks Dallas to beat New York comfortably, arguing Prescott, Lamb and Pickens will exploit the Giants' cornerbacks while the Cowboys' defense contains Jaxson Dart.
- Chris BroussardScore Predictions · Dallas CowboysMiss · 29Broussard took Tampa Bay over Cincinnati as his upset alert, predicted a 34-17 Cowboys win over the Giants, and had picked Dak Prescott as MVP.
- Nick WrightGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Wright picked Tampa Bay to beat Cincinnati outright, Philadelphia to beat Washington, Dallas to beat the Giants, and said he was one of the few nationally to pick the Chiefs to win it all.
- Eric ManginiGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Mangini's upset alert was Washington over Philadelphia; in the chips segment he backed Houston, Dallas and Denver; and his Monday headline was Cincinnati mauling Tampa Bay, with Joe Burrow as his MVP and the Bengals as AFC North champs.
- Kirk HerbstreitGame Outcome Picks · Dallas CowboysMiss · 0Herbstreit made a full slate of Week 1 picks — Lions, Ravens, Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jaguars, Titans, Eagles, Packers and Cowboys — and also said he still thinks Seattle is the team to beat in the NFC West.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
- John ShipleyRoster Spot Calls · Jack KiserMiss · 0Shipley projects a full 16-player (plus one international/exemption spot) Jaguars practice squad for 2026, naming specific players at each position he expects to land there.
- Cody RourkeRoster Spot Calls · Mitchell FraboniMiss · 0Rourke names the Ravens as the bounce-back team most likely to be dangerous in the AFC again, and says Houston's defense alone should carry the Texans into the postseason. He also expects long snapper Mitchell Fraboni to be one of Denver's practice-squad elevations for the Chiefs game, and slots Pat Bryant as Denver's third receiver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.
- Sayre BedingerRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeMiss · 0Benninger expects Houston's elite defense to make them either a division winner or a wild card team, thinks Marvin Mims was trending toward being Denver's fourth receiver rather than just the return man, and figures Adam Prentice will be the Broncos' other practice-squad call-up.
- Bob MorrisRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100Morris predicts Jarrett Stidham holds the backup QB job behind Bo Nix, Adam Prentice makes the 53-man roster as the fullback/fourth back, and Lucas Krull gets cut.
- Erick TrickelRoster Spot Calls · Adam PrenticeHit · 100After the Broncos' preseason opener, Trickel argued fullback Adam Prentice has shown enough value to earn a spot on the 53-man roster ahead of the team's fourth running back options (Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Cody Schrader).
- Nick ShookRoster Spot Calls · Aaron DonaldHit · 100Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last.