The Dallas Cowboys have their training camp and preseason in the rearview mirror, and now the front office will have to cut the roster from 91 players down to 53 by Tuesday afternoon.
Crucial decisions await at multiple position groups, as head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on a Saturday conference call with the media that the toughest decisions will come at cornerback, wide receiver, linebacker and defensive end.
Before getting into the projections, expect the Cowboys to put wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (PCL sprain) and cornerback Caelen Carson (hyperextended knee) on the injured reserve/designate to return list. After the implementation of a new rule in the NFL in 2024, they will not have to sit on the 53-man roster for 24 hours before moving to the list which will allow Dallas to retain two additional players.
Here is the projection for how the Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster will look like coming out of Tuesday’s decision.
Quarterback (2)
Dak Prescott, Joe Milton III
Milton suffered from some inconsistency in the preseason, but he will enter the year as the primary backup to Prescott. Will Grier will start off on the practice squad, but don’t be surprised if he finds himself on the roster early in the season. He won’t have to pass through waivers since he has more than four accrued seasons in the league.
Running Back (4)
Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, Miles Sanders, Hunter Luepke
Williams will enter the season as the starter after earning the majority of the first-team reps in training camp and getting the ballcap on the sideline for all three preseason games. Blue has done enough to make the roster, but there’s still some proving ground to earn early significant reps. Sanders might have a short leash, but his veteran presence gives him the edge early on. Rookie Phil Mafah may be one that the Cowboys sweat out bringing back to the practice squad since he will need to clear waivers.
Wide Receiver (5)
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flournoy
Expect the Cowboys to take five receivers instead of six despite a hotly contested battle for the final spot. Jalen Brooks just misses out as does training camp darling Traeshon Holden. Flournoy earns the spot for consistent play in the preseason and plus-value in the special teams department. A decision will have to be made when Jonathan Mingo returns from injury to either make him the sixth receiver or to exchange him with Flournoy.
Tight End (4)
Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Luke Schoonmaker, Princeton Fant
In lieu of taking five receivers, expect the Cowboys to add a body in the tight end room like they did under Mike McCarthy. Schoonmaker’s health is a question mark going into the year after leaving practice with an injury last week. Spann-Ford has also been dealing with a high ankle sprain for the last three weeks that has kept him out for the majority of training camp. Fant gets the nod over Rivaldo Fairweather for his special teams value and his ability to pave the way as a downfield blocker.
Offensive Line (9)
Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker, Terence Steele, Brock Hoffman, Nate Thomas, T.J. Bass, Ajani Cornelius
Guyton’s injured knee is trending in the right direction for him to be available as early as week one against the Philadelphia Eagles. Regardless, he won’t begin the year on injured reserve. Thomas unseats Asim Richards as the backup left tackle while Hoffman and Bass keep their spots as the go-to interior offensive line replacements. Cornelius gets the nod over veteran Hakeem Adeniji after a consistent training camp and the fact that he would have to go through waivers while Adeniji would not as a veteran.
Defensive Line (11)
Micah Parsons, Osa Odighizuwa, Dante Fowler, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Marshawn Kneeland, Solomon Thomas, Mazi Smith, Sam Williams, Jay Toia, Perrion Winfrey, James Houston
Since talent is thin at the position, Smith makes the roster in this projection after coming close to seeing the Cowboys cut their losses on their 2023 first-round pick. However, his starting job will be up for grabs with Toia and Winfrey also in the mix. Parsons’ status for week one could be something to watch, but the expectation remains that he plays. If he does not, Payton Turner would get the call up from the practice squad. Houston makes the roster after being signed during training camp and bursting onto the scene as a reliable pass rusher.
Linebacker (5)
Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, Marist Liufau, Shemar James, Damone Clark
The final spot was a hard one to decide on, as Clark, Buddy Johnson and Darius Harris all provide special teams value and veteran savvy. But after a big preseason, Clark wins out. DeMarvion Overshown will remain on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, as the expectation remains that he won’t make his way back onto the field until November at the earliest.
Cornerback (6)
Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, Andrew Booth, Zion Childress, Israel Mukuamu
After passing his physical on Sunday, Diggs will not begin the season on the injured reserve, providing a huge boost to the early season planning for the position group. He may not be ready for week one, which could allow for Booth or Childress to draw a start alongside Elam and Bland. Mukuamu gets the final spot over Kemon Hall because of his versatility at both corner spots and the safety position.
Safety (4)
Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell
The safety position is probably the easiest one to project. Wilson and Hooker quickly silenced any doubts going into training camp with consistent play in Oxnard, while Thomas and Bell remain key special teams players. Undrafted rookie Alijah Clark played well in the preseason, but it’s tough to see how he cracks into this group without an injury ahead of him.
Specialists (3)
Brandon Aubrey, Bryan Anger, Trent Sieg
The coaching staff values C.J. Goodwin’s spot on special teams and will have him on the roster for as many games as he can physically play in 2025 as a result. He’ll start off as a practice squad elevation before finding a permanent spot on the roster early in the year.