Cowboys announce important roster moves hours before Lions game

Instead of doing a day in anticipation, the Dallas Cowboys announced their practice squad elevations for Week 17 on gameday. When they take on the Detroit Lions, they'll be doing so with call-ups DT Carl Davis and LB Buddy Johnson.

In a way, both moves show the urgency the Cowboys are dealing with on defense.

On the one hand, Davis is on his third elevation, which is his last per NFL rules. If the Cowboys want to use him beyond this week, they'd need to sign him to the 53-man roster. Johnathan Hankins' status, who has been ruled out for Saturday's showdown, will be key in determining Davis' future. This could very well be his last game of the season suiting up.

As for Johnson, it's important to note the Cowboys are turning to him following the surprising waiving of veteran Rashaan Evans, who was arrested earlier in the week.

Johnson is unlikely to see the field a lot on defensive reps, as Markquese Bell and Damone Clark left very few snaps for Evans in previous games. Additionally, Dan Quinn loves to use three-safety sets, which means there's fewer opportunities to go around for linebackers.

However, against a physical team like the Lions, it wouldn't be a big surprise if Johnson sees more playing time than expected just for his size (6-2, 240).  

Currently, the Cowboys only have Bell, Clark, and Tyrus Wheat on the 53-man roster. If Johnson delivers on special teams and shows flashes on defense, he could very well earn a bigger role moving forward.

Johnson has four games played in his career, all of which came with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a fourth-round rookie.