This weekend, C.J. Goodwin announced his retirement after 10 seasons in the NFL. For the last eight years, he has been a special teams ace for the Cowboys, acting as one of the league’s elite gunners. He possessed the speed and technique to fly down the field and force fair catches, or blow up returns before they could go anywhere. He was also a big part of a couple of trick plays, whether it was faking a hamstring injury on a misdirect or securing the ball on that infamous watermelon kick.
Goodwin’s importance to the team was so valued that he occupied a spot on the 53-man roster despite not playing another position. That made him unique because most special teamers also contribute on offense or defense. While he was listed as a defensive back, it was a rare thing to see him play that position. He logged zero defensive snaps last season and hasn’t logged more than 20 total defensive snaps over the last five seasons. In short, he was exclusively a special teams player.
But his run is over. While it was nice to have such a skilled specialist on the roster, this is also a great opportunity for the team to use that spot for a player who can impact multiple phases of the game. Quite honestly, the timing couldn’t be better because the team has a lot going on right now. Having an extra roster spot is a precious commodity this season.
Why is that? Well, the front office has added a slew of new defensive players this year. Just run through any position, and you’ll find fringe players fighting for a roster spot who are fan favorites. Inevitably, the Cowboys can’t keep them all, and being able to contribute on special teams could punch their ticket onto the roster.
An extra safety
Players like P.J. Locke and Alijah Clark are buried on the safety depth chart thanks to new additions like Caleb Downs and Jalen Thompson, but both bring great special teams value to the roster.
More pass-rushing depth
Marist Liufau, Sam Williams, and James Houston all saw extensive time on special teams last year, as did Tyrus Wheat during his time with the Lions.
An extra running back
The coaching staff needs to sort out who will be their options behind Javonte Williams, and having some extra room for guys like Phil Mafah or Malik Davis could come in handy.
Getting more from their depth guys
While bigger names are ahead of them on the depth chart, players like Ryan Flournoy and Shemar James can still see the field a lot by being big special teams contributors.
Three quarterbacks
Rather than deciding between backup quarterbacks Sam Howell and Joe Milton, the team could opt to keep them both, giving the team a safer immediate backup as well as keeping the development guy in their back pocket.
Ultimately, maximizing their roster spots gives the team some added resources to survive a long, brutal season. Instead of waving goodbye to a promising young player on cutdown day, the coaches can now stash a high-potential player who could develop into a future contributor. It keeps talent inside the building, gives the front office a longer look at their investment, and reduces the risk of losing a hidden gem to another team on waivers. Goodwin may be gone, but he leaves the team with a final parting gift.
