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.
Where do you stand? Pick this and every open claim on Picks →
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:
- 8a7b718d-0420-457a-b195-13ea17d69a56
- 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:
- 1
- 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:
- f4db01e3-2294-4808-be04-bcd52e94e053
- 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:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
- 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.
- 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.
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.