If you find yourself attempting to predict the Dallas Cowboys' 53-man roster, good luck. While some positions have more clarity than others, it really is anyone's guess what the final product will look like by the end of August.
Thankfully, the first preseason game provided some lucidity at some positions. Rookies Phil Mafah (seventh round) and Zion Childress (undrafted) put themselves in a good position to make the team.
However, there are also some players who dug themselves a hole that may be too deep to climb out of over the next three weeks. One example is veteran offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji, whose 34.5 grade against the Rams was the lowest of any offensive player, per PFF.
Hakeem Adeniji may have sealed his fate with Cowboys after brutal preseason debut
It was a rollercoaster game for Joe Milton, but the Cowboys' offensive line performed well on Saturday all things considered. Adeniji, though, was a clear exception.
Adeniji was responsible for the only sack Dallas allowed. He got beat way too easily by Rams rookie pass rusher Josaiah Stewart. To make matters worse, Adeniji didn't cover himself in glory in the run game, producing a lowly 28.4 PFF run-blocking grade that was the lowest on the team.
The Cowboys have all but crowned Nate Thomas the interim starter at left tackle while Tyler Guyton recovers from a knee injury. Assuming the coaching staff wants to keep two backup tackles and two backup guards on the 53, Thomas and Asim Richards are likely leading the race for the backup tackle spots.
RELATED:Cowboys cut former first-round pick in 53-man roster prediction
Richards was called for two illegal formations against the Rams, but he was comfortably Dallas' best tackle in pass protection. He finished the game with a pristine 89.2 pass-blocking grade. La'el Collins finished with the second-best pass-blocking grade (78.0), but he only played 10 snaps compared to Thomas' 49.
A fifth-round pick in 2023, Richards played 24 snaps at left tackle and 25 snaps at left guard. Conversely, all 21 of Adeniji's snaps came at right tackle. That Richards had a better game, has arguably had a better camp, and offers more positional versatility gives him a comfortable edge.
It also helps Richards that he was drafted by the team. Adeniji was signed in mid-April, so it's not like the front office viewed him as a priority when free agency started.
While any 53-man roster is far from settled in the second week of August, Adeniji may have sealed his fate with his preseason debut.
More Cowboys News and Analysis