Dallas Cowboys: 5 Breakout candidates due for big 2020 seasons
By Randy Gurzi
Which five players could breakout for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020?
The Dallas Cowboys cut their roster down to 53 players on Saturday as they prepare for the 2020 NFL season. There weren’t many surprise cuts, other than safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix being let go — but that happened even before the Saturday deadline.
Outside of Clinton-Dix, the big surprise was probably the move to let go of linebacker Francis Bernard. An undrafted free agent from Utah, Bernard had performed well in camp and it seemed he was going to make the roster.
That ended up not happening though but we do now have a better grasp on how the team will look in 2020. And with that knowledge, we can identify five players who are primed for breakout campaigns, starting with Trysten Hill — the second-year defensive tackle who was named a starter during cut-down day.
5. Trysten Hill, Defensive Tackle
It’s a sad reality but a devastating injury can often be beneficial for a younger player who wasn’t poised for playing time. That could be the case here as Trysten Hill went from the bottom of the roster to potentially have a massive role on the defensive line when Gerald McCoy tore his quadriceps.
McCoy ended up needing surgery and the Cowboys released him before he even took a snap with the team. That moved Hill up the depth chart and even though he might not start due to the presence of Tyrone Crawford, he could be in line for a lot of playing time — especially on running downs.
With that being the case, Hill could find his way out of the dog house. Taken at No. 58 overall last season, Hill was the first choice for Dallas as they didn’t have a day one pick. His selection wasn’t greeted warmly by Cowboys nation and he did little to win them over during the year. In all, Hill recorded just five tackles while only appearing in seven games. He also was criticized for his effort and for falling asleep during a team meeting with Isaiah Thomas.
Even with all that being said, Hill is a player with a lot of raw talent. He’s string and showed great explosion at UCF. If Mike Nolan can find a way to motivate him, 2020 could be a big season for the sophomore player.