Click here to view the Ultimate 53-man depth chart. The Ultimate 53 The 53: Ware Already One Of Club's Greatest To celebrate 53 years of Cowboys football, we've come up with the ultimate 53-man roster, using a player from each season to fill out the depth chart. It continues with 2006 and OLB DeMarcus Ware Photo: No player has recorded more than Ware's 99.5 sacks since he entered the league in 2005.
The most important part of each season may be the daily practice grind in July and August, when a team is truly built. As a countdown to this year's training camp, we celebrate the 53rd year of Cowboys football by constructing the team's all-time 53-man roster, picking one player from each season.
Not so much the 53 best players in club history, DallasCowboys.com has constructed the ultimate team, filling out the depth chart and making room for contributors at every position, including special teams, while at the same time looking ahead to how this year's 53-man roster might shake out.
The series continues today with 2006 and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
Name:DeMarcus Ware
Position:Outside Linebacker
College:Troy
Height/Weight: 6-4/260
Cowboys Tenure: 2005-present
Why Him? For some of the players on this list, it's often difficult to figure out just how great they were relative to the rest of the league. Sure Bob Lilly and Randy White are considered two of the greatest in franchise history and even NFL history, but where they ranked in the prime of their career isn't always calculated. For DeMarcus Ware, we're seeing his greatness each year. Right here and right now, Ware is arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL, recently voted as the No. 6 overall player by his peers. Ware's 99.5 career sacks is the most by any player since he entered the league in 2005 and another dominating season out of him will make him the Cowboys' all-time sack leader. Currently, Harvey Martin holds the mark with 114, but Ware only needs 16 to surpass him – a feat that could occur in 2012. Last season, Ware was just a half-sack shy of becoming the first player in NFL history to record a pair of 20-sack seasons. While he's played in a 3-4 scheme for most of his career, he could seemingly play well in any formation. As great as he's been rushing the passer, Ware is just as strong against the run, making him one of the more complete football players this franchise has ever seen.
The Role:No changes here. Ware's job has been to disrupt offenses and opposing quarterbacks by coming off the edge and that's what his role would be for the Ultimate 53. Most of these players ran a 4-3 scheme but Ware is used to the 3-4, of course. While there have been many great pass-rushers in club history, it's arguable that Ware plays his position as well as any the Cowboys have ever had. It'll be a long debate on who the best defensive player in franchise history is but Ware's making a strong case to be in the running.
Back To The Future: Ware is only the second current player to make this list and considering he doesn't turn 30 until the end of August, the thought of replacing him is a rather distant one. Ware is in the prime of his career and when it's said and done, could be the most productive player this team has ever seen and could be one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history. Now, finding the next DeMarcus Ware is always a chore and one the team continues to do every year. They've tried with middle-round picks on guys like Victor Butler and maybe rookie Kyle Wilber, but it's safe to say the Cowboys do not have another DeMarcus Ware type waiting in the wings. That's probably yet another reason why this club is counting on him to lead this defense this year.
