/Click here to view the Ultimate 53-man depth chart.
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 1983 and Danny White, the third-string quarterback and punter for The Ultimate 53.
Name: Danny White
Position: Quarterback/Punter
College: Arizona State
Height/Weight: 6-2/193
Cowboys Tenure: 1976-88
Why Him? Sandwiched between Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, Danny White had a fine run as the Cowboys' starting quarterback, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns four times. But because he never won a Super Bowl, White has often been overlooked in team lore. However, he did guide the Cowboys to three straight NFC Championships, losing heartbreakingly each time, including the 1981 conference title game, which San Francisco's Dwight Clark stole with "The Catch."
The Role: While there are a couple of other deserving candidates for third quarterback in team history, namely Tony Romo and Don Meredith, neither offers the versatility of White. This being an experiment in roster construction, extra attention is given to those players who can fill multiple jobs, and White certainly brings added value, allowing the DallasCowboys.com staff to save a precious roster spot. In addition to quarterback, White served as the Cowboys' punter for the better part of nine seasons, and he also fills that role on The Ultimate 53.
Back To The Future: As of right now, the favorite to win the punting duties – and, in fact, the only punter on the roster – is Chris Jones, who as a rookie relieved the injured Mat McBriar for two games last year. It's likely the Cowboys will bring in competition for him before camp, perhaps even re-signing McBriar, but there are some within the team who are angling for Jones to win the job. As for the third quarterback spot, coaches are staging a competition between fourth-year man Stephen McGee and Rudy Carpenter, who has bounced around the league since beginning his career in the Cowboys' camp in 2009. If either is truly impressive, they could be kept around, but it's also entirely possible this team decides to go without a No. 3, instead relying on top-flight backup Kyle Orton and perhaps a practice squad arm for all the depth behind Tony Romo.
