FRISCO, Texas - There's certainly one thing that's proven true when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, and that is their dedication to improving the roster - in-season. To that point, they've now added two very intriguing names to their practice squad ahead of their coming battle against Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings, namely wideout Antonio Callaway and edge rusher Takk McKinley.
The moves arrive only three days after a grating loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, one that saw CeeDee Lamb explode for 150 yards and three touchdowns but also saw no other receiver (non-tight end) produce more than 40 yards.
Callaway will have a chance to aid in those efforts, a former fourth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns who also spent time recently with the Miami Dolphins (2020) and Kansas City Chiefs (2021) before now making his way to North Texas.
The 25-year-old still has plenty of tread on his tires and the speed to burn rubber on an NFL field - his 4.41s 40-yard dash speed having helped him become a household name for the Florida Gators en route to a solid NFL debut in 2018 wherein he reeled in 586 receiving yards and five touchdowns with Baker Mayfield under center.
Additionally, Callaway's speed makes him a dangerous returner, and that makes him instant insurance for anything that might befall KaVontae Turpin over the remainder of the season.
It's doubtful the addition of Callaway will have any negative impact on the Cowboys' interest in Odell Beckham, Jr., for those wondering, but he instead provides an immediate challenge to a player like rookie third-round pick Jalen Tolbert - for example.
The team remains all-in on trying to figure out how to get Beckham into the building.
For McKinley, signing in Dallas is mostly a full-circle move, considering he is being reunited with Dan Quinn - the former Atlanta Falcons head coach who used a first-round pick on the former UCLA superstar in 2017 - but also when looking at how the Cowboys were in on selecting him themselves before Quinn and the Falcons changed that plan only two picks prior.
The Cowboys went on to select Taco Charlton.
Remember him?
McKinley had a very productive stay in Atlanta over the course of his first three seasons - racking up 16.5 sacks despite not being named starter in his first year and logging just eight starts as an NFL sophomore. His career in Atlanta ultimately ended after McKinley suffered a shoulder injury but also requested a trade, ultimately waived by the Falcons, going on to short stays with the Raiders, Browns, Titans and Rams.
Now, back with Quinn (and Dante Fowler), there's a chance for the once-heralded edge rusher to re-establish his brand and, also similar to Callaway, being added to the practice squad means the Cowboys will not have to make any moves on the active roster to make space.
They can both be called up to the gameday roster a maximum of three times before being forced to sign the to the active 53-man roster, buying Dallas time to see how things will flesh out with the new additions.
They also added Brock Hoffman, a center, to the practice squad to replace rookie interior lineman Alec Lindstrom, who suffered a back injury and was moved to the practice squad's injured reserve list. Hoffman went undrafted in 2022 out of Virginia Tech, and maintains depth at a position that also saw Matt Farniok moved to injured reserve in October.
The moves come in the same season that has now seen the Cowboys sign Anthony Barr and Jason Peters along with trading for Johnathan Hankins, as they tweak their roster on the fly to try and catch the Philadelphia Eagles atop the NFC East.
