STAN SANDMARK
DAYTONA BEACH, FL
With the way NFL football is played today, and all the injuries that occur, do you see the league increasing the number of players available on the rosters and practice squad any time soon?
Bryan: This is something that I have always believed the league needed to address in the future, but they have not. I have been told that it would be an unfair advantage because of exactly what you have said about the injuries. If one team is completely healthy and the other is not, then having those extra players would be an advantage. I can see the point there but having all 53 players to use regardless of skill could help me win a game because I am having to go light at a position to make up for another position. I honestly don't see this happening anytime soon.
David: I think the main way this comes about is if the league goes through with its idea to add regular season games. If an NFL season is, say, 18 games, rather than 16, the league might allow for a large roster to compensate for the added difficulty of the season. Personally, I'd rather have a smaller roster and a smaller season than the alternative. It's already a stretch to ask these guys to put their bodies through the ringer for four preseason games, 16 regular season games and then a possible playoff run.
JOE CHURA
PHOENIX, AZ
It seemed as though Jeff Heath was overmatched last year on a regular basis, however most roster projections have him making the team. What do the coaches see in Heath that many fans do not?
Bryan:Heath is one hell of a special teams player. With the depth at safety that they have now, there is a good chance that he would not have to start and can just focus on [embedded_ad] the teams aspect of the game. By the way, I don't believe that he played as poorly as you have stated here. I have seen rookies around the league that were higher selections that played like garbage compared to him, but that's just my opinion.
David: Danny McCray is off to Chicago, so the Cowboys need a new special teams ace – that's my vision for Heath this year. He can get downfield in kick coverage and lay the lumber, and he's got starting experience if the defense needs a safety. I think the ideal scenario for Heath would be as a decent backup to J.J. Wilcox, who the Cowboys have to hope seizes the job in camp this month. Aside from his backup duties, he'd be a quality special teamer.
