The Cowboys got to 53 players, but the roster still feels unfinished.
Dallas made the biggest decisions after preseason and answered a few questions along the way, including keeping receiver Camden Brown and surprisingly holding onto both Joe Milton and Sam Howell. But the cuts also exposed some obvious soft spots, and Sunday’s moves left the front office with work still to do.
The most glaring issue is at running back. Dallas shocked plenty of people by moving on from Jaydon Blue, a fifth-round pick who brought the kind of speed that can change a game in a blink and had been in the mix for the RB2 job behind Javonte Williams.
Blue had led the team in rushing against Arizona and then sat out the preseason finale, which usually points to a spot being safe. Instead, the Cowboys also cut Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda, leaving Malik Davis as the most dependable backup and Hunter Luepke handling short-yardage and fullback work.
That still doesn’t solve the need for a true third back, and the team now looks set to chase help on the waiver wire or in free agency.
Cornerback is another spot that needs attention. The initial 53 includes five cornerbacks, with Caleb Downs listed as a defensive back, but the room has questions all over it.
Ameer Speed is more of a special-teams piece, Caelen Carson didn’t turn heads in camp or preseason, and Devin Moore is on injured reserve. Reddy Steward and Josh Butler were let go.
DaRon Bland’s durability is still a concern, and Shavon Revel has yet to prove he can deliver when the games count. Dallas has already shown interest in Adoree’ Jackson, who fits naturally under Christian Parker, and the team has also been linked to bigger names like Christian Gonzalez.
The Cowboys need more there, and standing still would leave the secondary exposed.
The defensive line has its own gap at nose tackle. Tommy Dunn, the Kansas UDFA, did enough to make a case as the backup at 0-tech, but Dallas still cut him, along with Jay Toia.
Toia flashed against Arizona, then struggled against the Saints. The Cowboys can shuffle starters Kenny Clark, Otito Ogbonnia, and Quinnen Williams around the line, but there isn’t another obvious fit on the roster for that nose tackle role.
It’s a real need, and one Dallas still hasn’t addressed. Practice squad callups may end up being part of the answer during the season.
Inside linebacker may be the most delicate spot of all. The top end is strong: Dee Winters is productive, Shemar James is moving forward in Year 2, DeMarvion Overshown is a playmaker, and rookie Jaishawn Barham has outperformed expectations.
But carrying only four linebackers at a position that takes a pounding is a risk. Overshown’s injury history and Barham’s lack of experience leave the group vulnerable.
Dallas also moved on from Curtis Robinson, Justin Barron and Langston Patterson, though Robinson plans to re-sign with the practice squad. Keeping just four at this spot was clearly intentional, but it’s the kind of choice that can come back to bite once the season starts wearing teams down.
In Other News...
Cowboys Receiver Battle Just Claimed A Familiar Name
The Cowboys receiver competition thinned a little more as final roster cuts came down, and Denzel Mims was among the names squeezed out to get Dallas to the 53-man limit. Mims had only been with the team since mid-July, giving him a brief late-summer look before the decision arrived ahead of the regular season.
It was another reminder of how crowded the room has become and how little margin there is for a veteran trying to carve out a role. Mims arrived with some NFL history after three seasons with the Jets, but he has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2022, leaving his next opportunity very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Howell Just Made The Cowboys Final Cuts A Lot Tougher
Sam Howell gave the Cowboys something useful to think about in the preseason finale, and not just because of the numbers. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, helping fuel a fourth-quarter comeback in a game Dallas still lost. In a roster battle that was already crowded, a performance like that can matter, especially for a player trying to turn a strong night into a stronger case for the 53-man roster.
The ripple effect reaches beyond Howell, because every good showing and every healthy return changes the math for the players on the bubble. Camden Brown, Alijah Clark, Sam Williams and Derion Kendrick are all part of that conversation, with recent performances and injuries shaping how tight the cut decisions could be. For Dallas, the final evaluation period suddenly looks a lot trickier than it did before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Just Got A Telling Chance To Fix A Thin LB Room
The Cowboys came out of preseason with a clearer picture of where the roster is sturdy and where it still looks exposed, and linebacker remains one of the spots worth watching. Jaishawn Barham has shown enough promise to make the conversation more interesting, but Dallas still has a thin group there and could use a proven piece to stabilize things behind him.
Tyrel Dodson suddenly fits that need after being released by the Dolphins and becoming available as a free agent. He brings veteran experience and a strong 2025 season to the table, which is exactly the kind of profile Dallas can lean on if it wants more certainty in a room that still feels short on it. [Read more 🡒]