I'm really puzzled by the Hunter Luepke fixation, given that the Cowboys are also carrying four tight ends. Unless Luepke will be running the ball, the tight end prospects would seemingly offer betters skill sets in the areas of blocking and catching. What gives? – William Lott/Carrollton, TX
Patrik: It's a fairly simple answer, to be honest. Hunter Luepke was always, and I do mean always, going to make this year's 53-man roster. He showed marked improvement as the season went along, learning from his backbreaking fumble in Miami, and to the point wherein the coaching staff and front office raved about his potential all offseason. He not only provides you with obvious blocking as a fullback, but he's been tasked with catching the ball out of the backfield as well as taking a handoff or two, so versatility is the name of his game and that keeps defenses guessing for a Cowboys' rushing attack desperately in need of producing as a committee in 2024. As for the four tight ends, not unlike Luepke, John Stephens Jr. was a lock after returning from a torn ACL and that's why Peyton Hendershot was shipped out of town, but Brevyn Spann-Ford is a high-priority undrafted free agent that landed a fairly large sum of guaranteed UDFA money to come to Dallas, and his build plus the athleticism attached to it isn't something the Cowboys wanted to risk to waivers. And so there you have it: a versatile FB and four TEs, three of whom can do damage downfield.
Nick Eatman: When you get down to the end of the roster, it's less about position and more about what they bring to the table overall. Body-types are a big deal when you're making out the special team roster and guys like Luepke, who is listed as a fullback, also has the linebacker-type. Those are the guys that play a lot on special teams, and the same can be said for tight ends. Plus, there are traits these players have that the Cowboys simply don't want to let go. So while it seems like they're heavy at these positions, the fact is they didn't want to cut Spann-Ford or Luepke and certainly not John Stephens. You figure out what you need to do to keep these guys around.
