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<\/p>\nARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 Jerry Jones said at the beginning of training camp that the Dallas Cowboys were open to making a \u201csubstantive\u201d move if one was available. Since that time, their only notable move was signing veteran edge rusher Von Miller. But they\u2019ve also been very fortunate in the health department.<\/p>\n
Does that mean they are set with their final 53 being what they already have in the building?<\/p>\n
Not necessarily.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese could be some critical days here as we look at our roster, look at all the other rosters,\u201d Jones said Friday night after Dallas\u2019 final preseason game. \u201cRight now, everybody around the league, the other 31 teams are seeing if they can improve it. We\u2019ll be looking at that very, very aggressively. We\u2019ve got time to improve for opening day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Top Plays from Saints @ Cowboys<\/p>\n
As the roster cuts become available on Sunday, it\u2019s important to remember the Cowboys will have an excellent chance of getting most of the players they want back on their practice squad. Over the last five years, only four players the Cowboys have cut have been claimed by another team the following day. Those players were OLB Isaiah Land (Colts) in 2023, CB Eric Scott (Chiefs) and S Julius Wood (Titans) in 2024 and OLB Tyrus Wheat (Lions) last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think as a coaching staff, these next 24 hours-plus, we do focus on our own roster,\u201d Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said, \u201cand our guys, the guys that we know, the guys that we love, the guys that we care about, the guys that I\u2019ve gotten to know their families, that I\u2019ve gotten to know what motivates them, why they play this game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe personnel guys and the scouts, they\u2019re diving into potential other roster moves. And that\u2019s part of the business. We\u2019ve got some time, but we have to make sure we get the decisions right, which we will, about our roster first. Then, of course, we handle it the right way with the guys that we love and care about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Based on three preseason games and 15 training camp practices, including one with the Rams and one with the Saints, here is our final 53-man roster projection.<\/p>\n
Quarterback (3)<\/p>\n
Dak Prescott
Joe Milton
Sam Howell<\/p>\n
This was only Prescott and Milton before Friday night\u2019s preseason finale. Howell did enough to make me think the Cowboys will now go with three. Schottenheimer said the backup job is \u201cneck and neck.\u201d Jones said, \u201cThat\u2019s one where we may just split the difference and have two backup quarterbacks.\u201d Milton has had the better overall training camp and first two preseason games, but Howell has more experience and was the better player Friday night.<\/p>\n
Running back (4)<\/p>\n
Javonte Williams
Malik Davis
Jaydon Blue
Hunter Luepke<\/p>\n
This is a solid running back room but there would have to be some concerns if they were without Williams for an extended period of time. Davis and Blue are good complements, but neither appears to be a lead back. Luepke gives Dallas help as a runner, blocker and receiver who can also play some tight end.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n Malik Davis ran for 250 yards with Dallas last season. He should be in line for carries again in 2026 behind starter Javonte Williams. (Joe Camporeale \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Tight end (3)<\/p>\n
Jake Ferguson
Brevyn Spann-Ford
Luke Schoonmaker<\/p>\n
Michael Trigg was a possibility with a strong training camp and preseason, but a toe injury limited him at times. He\u2019d be an ideal candidate to return to the practice squad. Many outside the building have wanted to get rid of Schoonmaker. Many on the inside feel differently. Schoonmaker was one of the 34 players not wearing pads Friday night, usually a sign the player has already made the roster. Ferguson and Spann-Ford should be a very good one-two punch.<\/p>\n
Wide receiver (6)<\/p>\n
CeeDee Lamb
George Pickens
Ryan Flournoy
KaVontae Turpin
Jonathan Mingo
Camden Brown<\/p>\n
This is arguably the deepest wide receiver room in the NFL. They\u2019d probably prefer to keep only five, but Brown and Mingo have played too well to cut either. Mingo was another notable player not wearing pads Friday. Lamb, Pickens and Flournoy have a chance to be the first trio of wide receivers to all go over 1,000 yards since Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston did it with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. That team went to the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n
Offensive line (10)<\/p>\n
Tyler Smith, LG
Tyler Booker, RG
Cooper Beebe, C
Tyler Guyton, LT
Terence Steele, RT
T.J. Bass, G
Nick Leverett, G\/C
Trevor Keegan, G
Nate Thomas, T
Drew Shelton, T<\/p>\n
The depth hasn\u2019t looked very good all training camp. The Cowboys have their starting five and then Bass as their top reserve. After that, it\u2019s all up in the air. Thomas could be the swing tackle, but if there was an injury to Guyton or Steele, the next move could involve Smith moving out to tackle and Bass stepping in at left guard. Schottenheimer said Smith did not get any reps at left tackle during training camp because Guyton has \u201cplayed as good of football as I\u2019ve seen him play since he\u2019s been a Dallas Cowboy.\u201d This could be an area where they keep only eight or nine and look to add a veteran or two for depth from another team.<\/p>\n
Defensive line (5)<\/p>\n
Quinnen Williams
Kenny Clark
Otito Ogbonnia
Jonathan Bullard
LT Overton<\/p>\n
This is the best group of interior defensive linemen the Cowboys have had in a long time. Williams and Clark anchor everything, but the depth has a chance to be pretty good, too. They could possibly keep a sixth, but this five seems like the most likely scenario. Williams, Clark, Ogbonnia and Bullard all were without pads Friday on the sideline.<\/p>\n
Outside linebacker (5)<\/p>\n
Rashan Gary
Donovan Ezeiruaku
Von Miller
Malachi Lawrence
James Houston<\/p>\n
The top four will see the bulk of the snaps as long as they\u2019re healthy. Houston has proven that he can get to the passer. Marist Liufau was going to be the sixth because of the help he brings on special teams, but he suffered a fractured left forearm Friday night that will require surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cLosing Marist as a football player is tough,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cUnfortunately, it\u2019s part of the business. You guys all know him and the way he\u2019ll attack his rehab. So, we\u2019ll get surgery done as soon as we can and next man up. But yeah, he was a critical, critical part of not just two or three special teams, really all four. He\u2019s a four-core guy that you just rely on and he plays the game with violence. We have some other guys in that locker room that do that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inside linebacker (5)<\/p>\n
DeMarvion Overshown
Dee Winters
Jaishawn Barham
Shemar James
Justin Barron<\/p>\n
This position group was the biggest question entering the draft. They then drafted Barham in the third round and traded for Winters. If all are healthy, this group could get the job done. But considering the Cowboys\u2019 luck at keeping top off-the-ball linebackers healthy, this could still be an area another veteran is needed.<\/p>\n
Cornerback (4)<\/p>\n
Daron Bland
Shavon Revel
Cobie Durant
Devin Moore<\/p>\n
Four is not enough. Another player probably needs to be added either by claiming off waivers from another team\u2019s cuts or by making a trade. Signing a veteran like Adoree\u2019 Jackson could also be a possibility. The top three have looked good in camp. There wasn\u2019t enough consistency to say anyone definitively grabbed the No. 4 spot. It\u2019s likely that multiple corners they cut will get back to their practice squad.<\/p>\n
Safety (5)<\/p>\n
Caleb Downs
Jalen Thompson
Malik Hooker
PJ Locke
Markquese Bell<\/p>\n
Like with their interior defensive line, the Cowboys have made significant upgrades at safety. The top four have all shown that they can be counted on when the games matter. Downs will get a lot of work as the nickel cornerback, but he\u2019ll also see plenty of reps at safety. This area has gone from what was one of Dallas\u2019 biggest weaknesses to one of its greatest strengths.<\/p>\n
Special teams (3)<\/p>\n
Brandon Aubrey, K
Bryan Anger, P
Trent Sieg, LS<\/p>\n
Not much projecting needed here. These are the only three at their positions. \u201cI think I probably have the best group of specialists in the league,\u201d Cowboys special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen said recently. \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate. Same thing I felt last year with all three of them. It\u2019s incredible. They\u2019re really close, they\u2019re really smart, and they\u2019re pros. They do everything that makes it a lot easier for me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 Jerry Jones said at the beginning of training camp that the Dallas Cowboys were open…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420242,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[102,113,104,103],"class_list":["post-420241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-cowboys","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420241"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420241\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}