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IRVING, Texas – If we’ve learned anything about the Cowboys, it’s that they love their defensive line.

“We believe the defensive line is a strength,” became a default position for just about everybody in the organization during the NFL draft.

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But is it really?

When Monte Kiffin was in Tampa Bay, the strength of the defense was the line with Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice and Booger McFarland. Same for Rod Marinelli in Chicago when he had Julius Peppers, Henry Melton and Israel Idonije racking up sacks.

Take DeMarcus Ware out of the equation. He will continue to be one of the most dominant pass rushers in the NFL. The move from outside linebacker to defensive end will not be too much for him, but it has to be noted that he is coming off major shoulder surgery and has suffered some other nicks the last couple of seasons.

Anthony Spencer is a curious case. He had a career-high 11 sacks last year, but in his first five seasons he never had more than six in a season. One AFC personnel man believed Spencer’s sack boost came in part because he was moved around more than in the past. Bill Polian has said Spencer will be a great fit for this defense. If Spencer is consistently in the same spot opposite Ware, then does he go back to a six-sack player? And he is lighter than most strong-side defensive ends Kiffin and Marinelli have employed.

Jay Ratliff was a difference-maker at one point. He was a disruptive player, incredibly difficult to block and could get to the quarterback. Notice the past tense? Ratliff’s sack total has decreased in each of the last five years and he missed 10 games because of injuries last year. He turns 32 in August. Maybe he is the perfect fit to play the Sapp role here, but how much tread is left?

Jason Hatcher has never had more than 4.5 sacks in a season and he will be making a position switch. Are his numbers a product of the fact that 3-4 defensive ends just don’t have the opportunity to get after the quarterback? Perhaps. He turns 31 in July and is in the last year of his contract.

Tyrone Crawford did some nice things as a rookie but didn’t record a sack. Sean Lissemore had one sack but was slowed by an ankle injury. Kyle Wilber will move to defensive end from outside linebacker this year but has the look of a tweener. Then there’s Ben Bass, Robert Callaway and Ikponmowasa Igbinosun.

Kiffin and Marinelli apparently have told Jerry Jones & Co. that the defensive linemen on the roster will be just fine, given how the team went about the draft and has looked at free agency so far. Rob Ryan said the same thing to Jones about the talent on hand when he showed up two years ago; how did that work out?

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IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys’ move to the 4-3 scheme will bring a position switch for Kyle Wilber.

Wilber, a fourth-round pick last year, will play defensive end after indications earlier in the offseason were that he would compete for one of the outside linebacker spots.

“Kyle Wilber is going to start out as a defensive end for us, and one of the things we liked about him coming out as an outside linebacker and what his best trait was as a pass rusher,” coach Jason Garrett said. “We feel like the easiest transition for him will be to put his hand on the ground and be that pass rusher as opposed to the off the ball linebacker. We’ll see how he adjusts to it and once we get on the field we’ll make that determination going forward.”

Wilber played a hybrid role at Wake Forest and had 13.5 sacks in his career. He played sparingly last season and was slowed by finger and hand injuries. At 246 pounds, he will need to add bulk.

“The traits you want in the defensive line in this defense is quickness and speed,” Garrett said. “Kyle needs to be bigger, but you’ve got to be careful to get too big because we want him to have some juice off the ball.”

Missing the playoffs again isn't an acceptable notion around Valley Ranch for the Dallas Cowboys.

There are many questions surrounding this draft class, but the Cowboys can't miss here. The Cowboys have to find a starter or a significant contributor in the first two rounds, regardless if they trade up or down.

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"We can say what we want about what we believe in as a coaching staff, but ultimately what we believe in is reflected most by the players we have," coach Jason Garrett said Monday. "In this case, the players we draft. I think we’ve done a good job over the last couple of years bringing the kind of guys in who we think reflect the way we want to play. And we want to continue to do that. You want drafted players to play as quickly as they can play."

The Cowboys found starters in the first round in the last three draft classes, and second-round picks in 2010 (Sean Lee) and 2011 (Bruce Carter) have also become starters.

However, outside of Morris Claiborne in the first round, the Cowboys didn't get much from the rest of the 2012 draft class. Tyrone Crawford (third round) and James Hanna (sixth round) showed some encouraging signs, but Kyle Wilber (fourth rounder) and Matt Johnson (fourth rounder) were disappointments.

"We’ve been fortunate the last couple of years. Mo Claiborne was an instant starter for us and Tyron Smith was an instant starter for us," Garrett said. "We’ve had some guys come in and play early and really be contributors to our team. You want to be able to do that again.

"I think one of the things we feel good about in our organization is we had two really good contributors last year, Claiborne and Tyrone Crawford, but we had some other guys who got banged up early last year and weren’t able to contribute as much as we wanted them to (in) fourth-round picks Wilber and Matt Johnson. James Hanna was a guy who emerged for us towards the end of the year. But we have guys from last year’s draft that we feel like we haven’t even seen yet because of injury, so we expect some things from them in terms of competing with players on our team, competing for roster spots, competing for playing time."

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys’ move to the 4-3 scheme under new coordinator Monte Kiffin has altered what kind of linebackers the Cowboys are looking at entering the draft.

From 2005 to 2012, the Cowboys drafted 12 linebackers, excluding Stephen Hodge on 2009. The average height and weight was 6-2½, 247 pounds.

To move to the 3-4, the Cowboys needed bigger linebackers to withstand more direct play with offensive lineman. Most of them were defensive ends in college. The biggest was DeMarcus Ware (255 pounds, 2005). Ware and Kyle Wilber were the tallest (6-foot-4). The shortest was Jason Williams (6-foot-1, 2009) and the lightest was Bruce Carter (240, 2011).

The scheme switch this year has the Cowboys looking at smaller linebackers like they had for years in guys like Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen.

So far there are nine known linebackers that have caught the Cowboys' eye in the draft process either through top-30 visits, Dallas Day tryouts or private workouts: Brandon Magee, Sio Moore, Gerald Hodges, Taylor Reed, Ja’Gared Davis, R.J. Young, Alex Elkins, Jarvis Wilson and Sean Porter.

The average height amd weight: 6-0½, 237 pounds.

Kiffin’s scheme is built on speed at every level. Linebackers have to be able to run. Moore is the heaviest at 245 pounds, but is just 6-foot-1. Magee is the lightest at 223 pounds and at 5-foot-11 is the shortest, along with Reed and Young.

Undoubtedly the Cowboys have looked at more linebackers, but that sample size should give you the prototype at linebacker.

The Cowboys with only $102,000 in salary cap space available will bring in two free agents, strong safety Will Allen and linebacker Justin Durant, for visits to Valley Ranch on Monday, according to a source.

Allen started seven games for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and finished with five pass breakups and one forced fumble as Troy Polamalu's backup. Allen has played in 130 games in his career with 33 starts.

The Cowboys have a goal of signing a veteran safety to play with starting free safety Barry Church. Matt Johnson, who missed his entire rookie season with hamstring injuries, is another possible starter at strong safety.

Durant started 14 games for the Detroit Lions and finished second on the team with 103 total tackles based on the team statistics. Durant played outside linebacker in the 4-3 defense. He had half-a-sack and three pass breakups last season.

The projected strong side linebacker in the Cowboys defense is Kyle Wilber, but the team would like more competition at that spot. Alex Albright is another possible starter.

PHOENIX -- If there's anybody who believes in new Cowboys defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, it's Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

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Tomlin worked with Kiffin and defensive line coach Rod Marinelli in Tampa Bay.

"Monte is going to be great in particular, Monte in a combination with Rod, that's a lethal combination," said Tomlin, who worked with the duo from 2001 to 2005 as a defensive backs coach. "These guys are football purists. I imagine they're somewhere in the bowels of that facility right now, man, with trash cans talking about how to defend the A, B, C gap.

"I grew up professionally with those guys. They're special people. I wish them nothing but the best. I acknowledge if you're competing against them, you got your hands full for a lot of reasons. I've been blessed to be associated with those guys."

Kiffin encountered some lean years in the college game following his son, Lane, especially last season at USC. He resigned after the season and was open to a return to the NFL.

In some ways, Monte Kiffin might be back in his comfort zone in the NFL instead of college.

"I don't think Monte is ever out of his comfort zone," Tomlin joked. "If you asked me that when he was in L.A., he's in his comfort zone; if they're snapping a ball and he's got 11 to defend it, he's in his comfort zone."

Kiffin is changing the Cowboys' defense from a 3-4 alignment to a 4-3. The Cowboys believe they have the personnel to pull this off. They will move outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer to defensive end and move defensive end Jason Hatcher to defensive tackle alongside Jay Ratliff.

The linebackers remain the same in Sean Lee (middle) and Bruce Carter (weak side), but the strongside linebacker spot has to be filled. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones has pegged Kyle Wilber in that spot.

Tomlin doesn't believe the switch will be a problem for Kiffin and Marinelli.

"How those guys work, I really think it's insignificant when you talk about whether or not you got four guys with their hand on the ground or three guys with their hand on the ground," Tomlin said. "One thing that they're going to do is they're going to be fundamentally sound, their going to play responsible football and they're going to play extremely hard with the 11 men that they have. I look forward to watching their tape. I think there's a lot of people in the NFL looking forward to watching their tape. Those are the type of guys, when they put tape out there, it's food for all of us. It's going to be fun."

PHOENIX -- The Cowboys have some holes to fill on defense.

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One of the main areas that needs to be addressed is the other outside linebacker spot as the team moves to a 4-3 alignment.

Team executive vice president Stephen Jones has endorsed Kyle Wilber to take the strongside position.

Sean Lee (middle) and Bruce Carter (weak side) will hold the other two spots.

"I hope Wilber," Jones said when asked who he thought would be the other starting linebacker. "We signed Ernie Sims. It’s obviously a veteran deal there, but I think it’s time for Kyle Wilber to step up. There’s a lot of things we liked about him last year and we’re hoping that he can step up and take that challenge."

Wilber, a 2012 fourth-round pick from Wake Forest, played 10 games and was credited with just three tackles. He looked lost at times playing in the 3-4, but there is hope he will respond in his sophomore season.

Wilber isn't the only one fighting for a starting job, however. Alex Albright (16 total tackles) and Sims (42 total tackles) will also get some looks at the strongside linebacker spot.

There was some offseason discussion about moving Wilber to defensive end, but it seems he's better suited to play outside linebacker.

"At that spot it’d be Wilber. Also, we’ve got Albright that’ll try that spot out, and then we’ve got Ernie now," Jones said. "We think we’re pretty good."

The college basketball regular season is coming to a close, but our Cowboys weekend mailbag is just heating up.

Enjoy.

Q: I guess it's safe to assume Sean Lee is penciled in at middle linebacker and Bruce Carter at outside linebacker. My question is Alex Albright or Kyle Wilber ready to take over the other side, or do the Boys need to address this in the draft or free agency? Norm (Asheville, N.C.)

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A: The Cowboys are not going to be major players in free agency to get an outside linebacker. The franchise wants to allocate its funds on quarterback Tony Romo and defensive end Anthony Spencer. Albright and Wilber are two candidates for the position. Wilber had an uneventful rookie season (credited with three total tackles), so he'll get every opportunity to become a starter. There was some discussion about moving Wilber to defensive end, so we'll see how that experiment goes if started. Albright has more playing experience than Wilber, so he could get the first-team reps in practices this summer. We expect Wilber to eventually win this position because he has more upside, but Albright has proven to be a good tackler, and it will be an interesting battle in training camp.

Q: Do you think the Cowboys would consider sending a fourth-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for (quarterback) Nick Foles, or do you think they will just draft a QB like Landry Jones in the late rounds? Tony Luna (Lubbock)

A: Let's be honest, Chip Kelly likes Michael Vick, but Nick Foles isn't going anywhere. The Eagles are not trading a backup quarterback, with the potential to become a starter, to a division rival. Foles might not have the ability to run the read-option type of offense, but he does have a skill set the Eagles want to take advantage of as much as possible. Foles is going to compete for the backup role with the Eagles this season. I doubt Jones will hang around in the late rounds for the Cowboys; he's a mid-round pick. Dallas has needs along both lines, safety and running back. If Fields is there in the sixth round, which I doubt, sure, grab him. But I don't believe that's realistic. I'm never against drafting a quarterback, especially given the age of the current one -- Tony Romo turns 33 in April -- so the team should obtain one if it makes sense.

Q: Calvin, if the Cowboys get the opportunity, what do you think about drafting safety Kenny Vaccaro out of Texas? I've watched this guy throughout the season, and he's quick and physical and plays with a lot of smarts. Do you think they take the chance? Manny M. (Parachute, Colo.)

A: The Cowboys value Vaccaro immensely but whether or not he'll fall to No. 18 is uncertain. The thinking is if some of the top-tier offensive and defensive linemen get drafted early in the first round, it could push Vaccaro down to the middle part of the draft. This is where Jerry Jones, the trader, comes in. If Vaccaro is still available at 15 or 16, then the Cowboys might need to trade up and draft him.

Eighth in a 10-part series breaking down the Cowboys' free-agency needs, position by position:

Linebackers

Who’s on the roster: Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Caleb McSurdy, Dan Connor, Kyle Wilber, Alex Albright, Orie Lemon

Analysis: In Lee and Carter, the Cowboys appear set at the Mike (middle) and Will (weakside) linebacker spots. However, both players are coming off injuries and must prove they can stay healthy. The Sam (strong side) is in question, but Albright looks to be the best in-house candidate. Wilber didn’t play much as a rookie but has athletic ability. Connor could be a cap casualty soon and Lemon might not be tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent. McSurdy is coming off an Achilles injury but could be an OK fit as a backup. Just based on numbers, the Cowboys will need to add some players here.

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NFL free agents of interest: Ernie Sims, Chase Blackburn, Keith Rivers, Will Witherspoon, Geno Hayes

Need meter: 7. When the Cowboys ran the 3-4, they generally needed bigger linebackers to withstand more direct play with the offensive linemen. With the 4-3 that changes to a degree, with speed being a top priority. But, as with every position in free agency, don’t look for the Cowboys to spend a lot of money. Not with Lee entering the final year of his deal and Carter up the year after him. Sims played well after joining the Cowboys following Lee’s toe injury. Sims is a better fit for a 4-3 and would be a solid backup. The Cowboys had mild interest in Blackburn last year, and he did some nice things for the Giants.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Cowboys have six picks in the April draft. In a way, they might end up with a nine-man draft class.

Last year the Cowboys did not get any production from three 2012 draft picks: fourth-round safety Matt Johnson, who was plagued by a hamstring all season, fifth round wide receiver Danny Coale, who spent most of the year on the practice squad before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament and seventh-round linebacker Caleb McSurdy, who suffered an Achilles’ tear in training camp.

“If we can get some guys on the field, add the (2013) draft class, we can do some upgrading,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said.

Even from the healthy draft picks last year the Cowboys did not get a ton of help. First rounder Morris Claiborne started 15 games and had one interception. Third-rounder Tyrone Crawford served as a backup defensive lineman.

Linebacker Kyle Wilber saw little to no action on defense, and tight end James Hanna did not become a factor until later in the season. Hanna’s role should increase in 2013 as the backup to Jason Witten.

“Some of those guys who we thought might have a role for us in year one because of injuries they had didn’t show up quite as much,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Now we are in year two. They are coming off injuries so hopefully they can compete at whatever spot they competing at and make us better us better as a football team.”

Monday was the first day that the entire Cowboys coaching staff had a chance to discuss who plays where, who stays and who goes.

DeMarcus Ware, Brandon Carr, Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Morris Claiborne and Gerald Sensabaugh have spot secured. But there are still plenty of vacancies.

A big hole to fill is one of the outside linebacker spots in the new 4-3 defense. There are issues along the defensive line too, but the Cowboys have the personnel to fill some of those spots.

The strongside linebacker might not be on the roster right now.

Here are some candidates:

* Alex Albright. He played two linebacker spots in the 3-4 defense last season. Is Albright (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) big and strong enough to take on guards that outweigh him by 40 pounds? He looked overmatched at times during the 2012 season, but he has a bright future.

* Victor Butler. Butler is more of a weakside linebacker and probably doesn't get enough credit for his pass-rushing ability, outside of Valley Ranch. He might need to add more weight (he's 245 pounds) to take the pounding that comes with playing the position. Butler is an unrestricted free agent.

* Kyle Wilber. At some point you need to play your draft picks. Last year's fourth-round pick had an uneven 2012 season. There has been discussion about moving Wilber to defensive end to backup Ware. But Wilber seems to be the in-house leader, at least in February, to take over at strongside linebacker.

Of course, all three of these players might not be paired with Lee and Carter come September and the Cowboys might venture into free agency for a player. Given the money the team wants to spend on Tony Romo and possibly Anthony Spencer, it could be difficult.

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Paul SpinelliKyle Wilber played in 10 games his rookie season, mostly in an unfamiliar inside linebacker spot.

Kyle Wilber

Position: Linebacker

How acquired: Fourth round (No. 113 overall), Wake Forest

What he did: Wilber played in 10 games as a rookie and saw most of his action on special teams. He played sparingly as a backup outside linebacker on defense to Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware and finished with three tackles. He was eighth on the team in special teams stops with eight. His most extensive action came against Philadelphia on Dec. 2, when he played inside linebacker in the sub package because of injuries. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan did not do him any favors by putting him in an unfamiliar spot, and he struggled.

Where he fits in the future: The Cowboys touted his work as a possible edge rusher in their 3-4 system after his 13.5 sacks in four years at Wake Forest, but the move to a 4-3 seems to make him an odd fit unless he can fit in at strong side outside linebacker in Monte Kiffin's 4-3 defense. He does not have the size to put his hand on the ground to play defensive end and at times as a rookie he got overwhelmed when asked to hold up at the point of attack in practice. He was limited by a pair of hand injuries that took him out of preseason work and all but one preseason game. He has the athletic ability to make the move off the line and he should be more comfortable with the pro game as he enters his second year. He will need to improve as a special teams player.

Rob Ryan’s 3-4 defense is out at Valley Ranch, about to be replaced by Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme.

How will the Cowboys’ personnel fit into Kiffin’s puzzle?

Here’s a breakdown, with the help of former Cowboys scouting director Larry Lacewell, whose relationship with Kiffin dates to their days as rival assistant coaches at Oklahoma and Nebraska in the 1970s:

DEFENSIVE LINE

The big question is whether the Cowboys keep Anthony Spencer as a bookend for DeMarcus Ware. That’s a financial issue, with Spencer due $10.6 million if the cap-strapped Cowboys use the franchise tag on him again and primed to get paid big bucks if he hits the market after his career year.

“I don’t know if I would,” Lacewell said of keeping Spencer. “I think I could find another guy that was a pretty good player. In my opinion, I’d rather look for a 4-3 guy. I think a rookie can come in. The mental end of it is so much easier than the 3-4 [for defensive ends/outside linebackers].”

Lacewell has no doubt that Ware will be a dominant defensive end in Kiffin’s scheme despite the fact that the perennial Pro Bowler will miss the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Lacewell has little concern about increased wear and tear on Ware as a down lineman, adding to the fact that Ware won’t have to drop in coverage, which might keep him fresher by limiting the amount he has to run.

“He should be similar but better than [Indianapolis’ Dwight Freeney],” Lacewell said. “He’s much stronger and bigger.”

Lacewell, who Jerry Jones brings to training camp every year to help evaluate the defensive personnel, believes Kiffin’s scheme will greatly benefit Jay Ratliff and Jason Hatcher.

Ratliff would primarily be a 1-technique defensive tackle, shading the center and shooting the gap. Lacewell compares him to La’Roi Glover, who made four Pro Bowls playing that role for the Cowboys when Mike Zimmer ran a Kiffin copycat scheme in Dallas.

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“It’s going to prolong his career,” Lacewell said of Ratliff, a 31-year-old whose streak of four straight Pro Bowls ended when injuries limited him to six games this season. “And I think it’s going to add misery to the offenses.”

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Hatcher would be a 3-technique defensive tackle, playing over the outside eye of a guard. Hatcher, who has 8.5 sacks over the past two seasons as a starting defensive end, would get a lot of one-on-one matchups with guards.

“Hatcher would be an outstanding 3 because he can run,” Lacewell said. “He can really fly. He’s going to be able to use his athleticism.”

Sean Lissemore could contribute at both defensive tackle spots. Tyrone Crawford, a third-round pick out of Boise State last season, has potential to play the 3-technique tackle and would be a candidate to start at defensive end if Spencer leaves.

“Monte’s going to love Lissemore and Crawford because they’re try-hard guys who can run,” Lacewell said. “Kiffin is all about speed. They don’t have to be huge guys, but they have to be able to play hard and run.”

LINEBACKERS

Plug Sean Lee in at Mike and Bruce Carter in at Will and pray that the Cowboys’ blossoming stars can stay healthy.

Lacewell on Lee: “He will be absolutely great. He’s already great, but when you become a Mike [in a 4-3], that means you’re a whole-field player. In the 3-4, you’re a half-the-field player a lot of times. It’s just going to add to his greatness.”

Lacewell on Carter, whose speed probably reminds Kiffin of Bucs legend Derrick Brooks: “Oh my gosh, I think he could be a great Willy. Speed guy, can come off the edge and rush the passer, drop back in coverage, really do it all.”

Dan Connor, Alex Albright and Kyle Wilber are among the in-house candidates to be the Sam linebacker. Lacewell is intrigued by the intelligence and toughness of Albright.

SECONDARY

Lacewell laughs at the suggestion that the major investments the Cowboys made in press-man corners last offseason make Kiffin’s scheme a strange fit.

“I get tickled to hear people say, ‘We’re wasting these great corners!’” he said. “Well, where were they?”

That’s a not-so-subtle reminder that the Cowboys ranked 19th in passing defense last season despite signing Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal and trading their first two picks to move up to sixth overall and select Morris Claiborne.

Lacewell said Kiffin asks his corners to play “much more man than you think” despite being based on his Cover 2 looks. Whether they’re playing man or zone, the corners play press a lot, which Lacewell figures will play to the strength of Carr and Claiborne.

When the corners do bail into zone coverage, their mission is to take away the outs and comebacks. That puts pressure on the safeties to cover the post.

That could be a problem.

“The one position I don’t have clear in my head for them is the g--damn safety,” Lacewell said. “I don’t know who it is. I don’t know who the hell it is.”

Asked about Barry Church as a strong safety, Lacewell brightened up a bit: “He’s kind of a Kiffin guy.”

Nobody is saying Church is the next John Lynch, but he is tough and smart, two of the ex-Bucs great’s best attributes. However, Church is also recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, so the Cowboys would be taking a big risk by counting on him.

Asked about Gerald Sensabaugh, Lacewell was lukewarm.

“I’d say they’re more in hunt of two safeties than any other position,” Lacewell said.

If the Cowboys' front office agrees with Lacewell, Texas' Kenny Vaccaro could be a fit in the first round.

IRVING, Texas – DE Jason Hatcher’s roughing the passer penalty in the fourth quarter of Dallas' loss at Washington on Sunday was costly on the field, but the NFL chose not to impose a fine.

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After the game, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said the penalty was questionable, but replays showed Hatcher hitting Redskins QB Robert Griffin III in the helmet with 2:35 to play. The penalty negated a third-down stop by Dallas' defense and allowed Washington to score a game-ending touchdown on RB Alfred Morris' run with 1:09 to play.

If there hadn't been a penalty, the Cowboys would have forced the Redskins to kick a field goal for a six-point lead with more than two minutes to play. Hatcher did not speak after the game or on Monday.

Dallas LB Kyle Wilber was fined $21,000 for a blindside block on a punt return by Dwayne Harris, but Wilber was not called for a penalty in the game. With a $390,000 base salary, Wilber made roughly $22,941 per week.

LANDOVER, Md. – The Cowboys de-activated running back Phillip Tanner in favor of linebacker Kyle Wilber for Sunday’s season finale against Washington.

Tanner was active last week vs. New Orleans in favor of Wilber, but with injuries to DeMarcus Ware (elbow, shoulder) and Victor Butler (groin), the Cowboys went with the extra outside linebacker.

Offensive linemen Ronald Leary, Darrion Weems, Kevin Kowalski and David Arkin are also inactive along with defensive lineman Robert Callaway and nose tackle Jay Ratliff, who is recovering from sports hernia surgery.