The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for the regular season after wrapping up their exhibition games. Head coach Mike McCarthy took a cautious approach during the preseason, opting to rest his star players and give more playing time to rookies. Now, the coaching staff and front office face the task of finalizing the 53-man roster and selecting the 16 players for the practice squad.
For the quarterback position, Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush are locks to make the team, along with rookie Trey Lance. However, Will Grier is expected to be cut and may be picked up by another team.
At the running back position, Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Hunter Luepke are expected to secure spots on the team. Malik Davis is likely to be sent to the practice squad, while Ronald Jones is expected to be cut.
The wide receiver group is expected to include CeeDee Lamb, Brandik Cooks, Michael Gallup, Kavontae Turpin, and Jalen Tolbert. Jalen Brooks, Dontario Drummond, and Jalen Moreno-Cropper are likely to be sent to the practice squad. Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston, Jose Barbon, and Tyron Johnson are expected to be cut.
At the tight end position, Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and Luke Schoonmaker are expected to make the team. Sean McKeon is likely to be sent to the practice squad, while John Stephens is expected to be placed on PUP/NFI/Season-ending IR. Seth Green and Princeton Fant are expected to be cut.
The offensive line group is still uncertain, with potential trades or veteran signings expected. Tyron Smith, Terence Steele, and Matt Waletzko are expected to make the team. Earl Bostick Jr. and Alex Taylor are likely to be sent to the practice squad, while Chuma Edoga is expected to be cut.
On the defensive side, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, and Isaiah Land are expected to secure spots on the team. Ben Banogu and Durrell Johnson are expected to be cut.
At the defensive tackle position, Johnathan Hankins, Mazi Smith, Osa Odighizuwa, Junior Fehoko, and Chauncey Golston are expected to make the team. Neville Gallimore and Quinton Bohanna are likely to be sent to the practice squad.
The linebacker group is expected to include Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, Damone Clark, and Devin Harper. Malik Jefferson is expected to be cut but may return when Josh Ball is moved to IR. Jabril Cox and Tyrus Wheat are likely to be sent to the practice squad, while DeMarvion Overshown is expected to be placed on PUP/NFI/Season-ending IR.
In the secondary, Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, Eric Scott Jr., and Kelvin Joseph are expected to make the team. Nahshon Wright is expected to be placed on IR, while Josh Butler is likely to be sent to the practice squad. Jourdan Lewis is expected to be placed on PUP/NFI/Season-ending IR, and Myles Brooks is expected to be cut.
At the safety position, Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Jayron Kearse, Israel Mukuamu, Markquese Bell, and Juanyeh Thomas are expected to secure spots on the team. Sheldon Redwine is expected to be placed on PUP/NFI/Season-ending IR, while Tyler Coyle is likely to be sent to the practice squad.
The Cowboys have until 3:00 pm Central on Tuesday to finalize their roster and practice squad.Dallas Cowboys Finalize Roster Decisions as Regular Season Approaches
The Dallas Cowboys have wrapped up their exhibition season and are now shifting their focus to the regular season. Head coach Mike McCarthy took a cautious approach during the preseason, opting to rest his star players and give more playing time to rookies. Now, the coaching staff and front office face the task of finalizing the 53-man roster and selecting the 16 players for the practice squad.
One strategy the Cowboys employ is protecting their vested veterans, players with at least four years of experience, from waivers. These veterans often have handshake agreements with the team, allowing them to be cut temporarily while the team manipulates the roster with injury lists and game-day elevations.
Here is a breakdown of the projected roster decisions:
Quarterbacks:
– Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, and Trey Lance are expected to make the team.
– Will Grier is likely to be picked up by another team instead of being the fourth quarterback in Dallas.
Running Backs:
– Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Hunter Luepke are expected to secure roster spots.
– Malik Davis is likely to be cut and placed on the practice squad.
– Ronald Jones is expected to be cut.
Wide Receivers:
– CeeDee Lamb, Brandik Cooks, Michael Gallup, Kavontae Turpin, and Jalen Tolbert are expected to make the team.
– Jalen Brooks, Dontario Drummond, and Jalen Moreno-Cropper are likely to be cut and placed on the practice squad.
– Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston, Jose Barbon, and Tyron Johnson are expected to be cut.
Tight Ends:
– Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and Luke Schoonmaker are expected to secure roster spots.
– Sean McKeon is likely to be cut and placed on the practice squad.
– John Stephens is expected to be placed on PUP/NFI/Season-ending IR.
– Seth Green and Princeton Fant are likely to be cut.
Offensive Line:
– Tyron Smith, Terence Steele, and Matt Waletzko are expected to make the team.
– Earl Bostick Jr. and Alex Taylor are likely to be cut and placed on the practice squad.
– Chuma Edoga is expected to be cut.
Defensive Line:
– DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, and Isaiah Land are expected to secure roster spots.
– Ben Banogu and Durrell Johnson are likely to be cut.
Linebackers:
– Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, Damone Clark, and Devin Harper are expected to make the team.
– Malik Jefferson is likely to be cut but could
How does placing certain players on the practice squad benefit the Dallas Cowboys in terms of maintaining depth and developing younger players?
Ns are less likely to be picked up by other teams, so the Cowboys can safely place them on the practice squad without fear of losing them. This allows the team to keep valuable depth and experience while also giving younger players opportunities to develop.
At the quarterback position, Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush are guaranteed spots on the team due to their experience and skill. The team also decided to keep rookie Trey Lance, who showed promise during the preseason. However, Will Grier is expected to be cut and may be sought after by other teams in need of quarterback depth.
In the running back position, Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Hunter Luepke have impressed the coaching staff and are expected to secure spots on the team. However, Malik Davis is likely to be sent to the practice squad for further development, while Ronald Jones is expected to be cut.
The wide receiver group is expected to be led by CeeDee Lamb, Brandik Cooks, Michael Gallup, Kavontae Turpin, and Jalen Tolbert. Young receivers Jalen Brooks, Dontario Drummond, and Jalen Moreno-Cropper are likely to be sent to the practice squad to continue honing their skills. Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston, Jose Barbon, and Tyron Johnson are expected to be cut from the team.
At the tight end position, Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and Luke Schoonmaker have stood out and are expected to make the team. Sean McKeon is likely to be sent to the practice squad for further development, while John Stephens is expected to be placed on injured reserve. Seth Green and Princeton Fant are expected to be cut.
The offensive line group is still uncertain, with potential trades or veteran signings expected. However, Tyron Smith, Terence Steele, and Matt Waletzko have shown enough to secure spots on the team. Earl Bostick Jr. and Alex Taylor are likely to be sent to the practice squad, while Chuma Edoga is expected to be cut.
On the defensive side, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Sam Williams, Dante Fowler, and Isaiah Land have proven their worth and are expected to secure spots on the team. However, Ben Banogu and Durrell Johnson are expected to be cut from the roster.
In the defensive tackle position, Johnathan Hankins, Mazi Smith, Osa Odighizuwa, Junior Fehoko, and Chauncey Golston have impressed the coaching staff and are expected to make the team. Neville Gallimore and Quinton Bohanna are likely to be sent to the practice squad for further development.
The linebacker group is expected to include Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch, Damone Clark, and Devin Harper. However, Malik Jefferson is expected to be cut but may return when Josh Ball is moved to injured reserve. Jabril Cox and Tyrus Wheat are likely to be sent to the practice squad, while DeMarvion Overshown is expected to be placed on injured reserve.
In the secondary, Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, Eric Scott Jr., and Kelvin Joseph are expected to make the team due to their performances during the preseason. However, Nahshon Wright is expected to be placed on injured reserve, while Josh Butler is likely to be sent to the practice squad. Jourdan Lewis is expected to be placed on injured reserve, and Myles Brooks is expected to be cut.
At the safety position, Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Jayron Kearse, Israel Mukuamu, Markquese Bell, and Juanyeh Thomas have stood out and are expected to secure spots on the team. Sheldon Redwine is expected to be placed on injured reserve, while Tyler Coyle is likely to be sent to the practice squad.
The Dallas Cowboys have until 3:00 pm Central on Tuesday to finalize their roster and practice squad, which will feature a mix of experienced veterans and promising rookies. The team’s goal is to build a strong and competitive roster that can take them deep into the regular season
“So excited to see who makes the final cut! Go Cowboys!”