IRVING, Texas – Who's next to join the Cowboys' always-rotating defensive line carousel?
That would be Everett Dawkins, a rookie defensive tackle from Florida State who has been on the Vikings practice squad. Dawkins, a seventh-round pick (229th overall) in 2013, fills the spot vacated by Marvin Austin, who was placed on the waived/injured list on Tuesday because of a back injury he sustained in the last game against Minnesota.
Dawkins (6-2, 300) would be the 17th defensive linemen to play for the Cowboys this year, assuming he will be ready to get snaps this week against the Saints.
Last week, the Cowboys signed Everette Brown, a defensive end off the street who came right in and played meaningful snaps. He even had a key sack and forced fumble late in the game against the Vikings.
Currently at tackle, the Cowboys have starters Jason Hatcher and Nick Hayden, both of whom have been dealing with injuries. Hatcher left the game last week with a neck stinger that has plagued him for several weeks. Hayden had to miss a few plays with a lingering back issue but returned and scored his first career touchdown.
Drake Nevis has been in the rotation as well along with Austin, who suffered the back injury in pre-game warm-ups and didn't play in the game.
In college, Dawkins played 54 games for the Seminoles in four years, playing mostly the three-technique. He only had five career sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
But coming out of the draft, he was considered a high-motor player that would get picked in the middle rounds, but fell to the seventh. However, the Cowboys had a third-round grade on him.
The Cowboys also signed a pair of players to the practice squad. Guard Phillipkeith Manley, from Toledo, and defensive end Hall Davis (Louisiana-Lafayette) were added to fill out the eight-man squad.
