Dallas Cowboys aggressively early 53-man roster prediction for 2022

Specialists (3):

Jonathan Garibay
Bryan Anger
Jake McQuaide

There was a huge sigh of relief among the Cowboys fan base when they elected to release Greg Zuerlein. The veteran kicker made his share of game-winning kicks but he was also incredibly sporadic and missed several extra points.

Dallas wanted to bring him back at a discounted rate but in the end, he signed with the New York Jets and Dallas ended up with Chris Naggar as the lone kicker on the roster. That was until they signed Jonathan Garibay who was 15-of-16 last season on field-goal attempts and 49-of-50 on extra points. He also got fans pumped when a video made the rounds from when he knocked in a 62-yard game-winner for the Red Raiders.

Of course, anytime a rookie is the primary kicker there’s some risk that they could struggle in high-pressure situations. However, Dallas has usually had more success with undrafted free agents than anyone else at the position and Garibay could prove to be an upgrade over Zuerlein.

At punter, they again go with Bryan Anger who has been one of the best in the NFL for years. 2021 was his first season in Dallas and he made the Pro Bowl with a 48.4 yard per average on his punts.

Jake McQuaide returns for his second season as the long-snapper as well. McQuaide worked with special teams coach John Fassel with the Los Angeles Rams and followed him to Dallas where he continues to get the job done without any fanfare — which is a prerequisite for the position.