Randy Gurzi· Sep 7, 2026
Gurzi writes that Tyler Smith's thumb surgery will land him on IR to start the season with a return around midseason, that capable backup T.J. Bass will step in along the interior line, and that practice squad lineman Nick Leverett should be elevated for Week 1 and could be added to the active roster.
“Smith will be out 4-6 weeks, meaning he will begin the season on the IR.”
published in writing · Sports Illustrated · read the original →
3 checkable claims — 2 roster spot calls and 1 depth chart call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
1 of 3 have settled so far, averaging 0 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 below the rest of the room.
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Who this take is about
3 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 CallsNick LeverettDallas CowboysSep 7, 2026
Nick Leverett to make the roster
“Leverett returned to the practice squad and should be elevated for Week 1. The Cowboys could then add Leverett to the active roster”
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 CallsTyler SmithDallas CowboysSep 7, 2026
Tyler Smith to make the roster
“Smith will be out 4-6 weeks, meaning he will begin the season on the IR. The timing isn't ideal with the first game of the year less than one week away, but the good news is that Smith will be back around midseason.”
Not settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- Depth Chart CallsTJ BassDallas CowboysSep 7, 2026
TJ Bass to be 1st on the depth chart
“his backup is more than capable of filling in for the short-term... the Cowboys have the luxury of being able to turn to a starting-caliber player who excels in pass protection”
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.