After wrapping up the preseason, the Dallas Cowboys head into cutdown day with a vision but also with some answered questions. Jerry Jones hinted on Saturday night that the Cowboys feel good about the roster and may not be adding outside help.
However, injuries to key players are going to add an interesting wrinkle to this team’s choices. Here is a projection of what the Cowboys’ final 53-man roster could look like in Week 1.
Dallas Cowboys 53-Man Roster Projection
Quarterback (3)
Starter: Dak Prescott
Backups: Cooper Rush, Trey Lance
There isn’t much to talk about at the top, as Prescott is a consensus top quarterback in the NFL and is in cruise control as the Cowboys’ QB1. However, behind him, there seem to be a lot more questions than answers following a rough performance from Trey Lance in the final preseason game.
Dallas traded a fourth-round pick for Lance before last season, feeling it was a low-risk/high-reward opportunity on a former No. 3 overall pick. Yet, Lance is fresh off of throwing five interceptions to the Los Angeles Chargers backups, setting up real question marks for him and what his future looks like.
Jones has already stated that Lance will make the 53-man roster, but there seems to be a Grand Canyon-sized gap between him and Rush when it comes to QB2 right now.
Running Back (4)
Starters: Ezekiel Elliott
Backups: Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke
Elliott was essentially handed the starting job when he re-signed with Dallas this offseason, despite Dowdle possibly being the Cowboys’ best option at the position right now. Assumedly these two will be carrying the brunt of the carries for Dallas this season.
Rounding out the group is interesting playmaker Vaughn, and Luepke, a fullback who has been getting work at tight end as well. This will be an all-hands-on-deck group this season, with each of these guys assuming a part.
Wide Receiver (6)
Starters: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert
Backups: KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy
The top three names on this list are officially solidified, and Dallas — despite Lamb contract negotiations drama — rightfully feels good about them as a group. While the rest of the group has a fun training camp battle, it’s clear that Brooks and Flournoy have separated themselves from them.
Ryan Flournoy hauls in the TD pass from Trey Lance 🎯
📺: #LACvsDAL on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LwxeM0E0jG— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
Some question whether Dallas will opt to keep six wide receivers on the roster. Yet, with the young talent they feel good about, it wouldn’t be worth the risk to lose one of these guys on the waiver wire.
Tight End (3)
Starters: Jake Ferguson
Backups: Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens Jr.
With Luepke doubling as a running back and tight end, the Cowboys may choose to go short here in favor of somewhere else. And with some roster injuries elsewhere, they may need to.
Ferguson is a star who didn’t see a single snap of preseason, while the team is excited by what they’ve seen from Stephens and are hopeful Schoonmaker has a breakout in Year 2.
Offensive Line (9)
Starters: Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Zack Martin, Terence Steele
Backups: Asim Richards, Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, Josh Ball
If it weren’t for injury, Chuma Edoga would be locked in here too. His expected placement on the short-term injured reserve list changes the initial view of this group. With that comes an opportunity for Ball, who has quietly had a quality camp, to slide into a roster spot.
Guyton and Beebe have won their roster battle, setting up the Cowboys to start two rookies at left tackle and center for Week 1. As nerve-wracking as that appears, the Cowboys have faith in these young guys and have quality depth behind them if a change is needed.
Defensive Tackle (5)
Starters: Osa Odighizuwa, Mazi Smith
Backups: Linval Joseph, Jordan Phillips, Justin Rogers
Defensive tackle was once the weakest position on the Cowboys’ roster, but they recognized that and chose to address it with the trade for Phillips and the signing of Joseph. It’s not an elite group, but Dallas now feels comfortable at a spot that many were worried about heading into training camp.
EDGE (5)
Starters: Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence
Backups: Marshawn Kneeland, Carl Lawson, Chauncey Golston
Once a deep position group, the Cowboys are simply lacking trusted depth at EDGE behind their two starters. Much like with defensive tackle, the Cowboys added a depth piece late in training camp in the form of Lawson.
As long as Parsons and Lawrence are healthy — and Kneeland and Lawson can spell them — this group should be fine and, at times, top-tier. The only question is whether they can hold up consistently when Parsons and Lawrence get a breather.
Linebacker (5)
Starters: Eric Kendricks, DeMarvion Overshown, Damone Clark
Backups: Marist Liufau, Buddy Johnson
Linebacker looks to be one of the younger and brighter spots on Dallas’ roster. With Kendricks as a veteran presence in the middle, the rest of the group is rounded out by young, athletic guys eager to make plays.
While the four top spots are spoken for, that fifth LB role was a quietly good roster battle. Johnson gets the nod here and should be a quality piece that rounds out the group.
Secondary (10)
Starters: Trevon Diggs, Caelen Carson, Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson
Backups: Jourdan Lewis, Israel Mukuamu, Andrew Booth Jr., Markquese Bell, Juanyeh Thomas, C.J. Goodwin
This group was dealt a tough blow ahead of Saturday’s preseason finale when it was reported that DaRon Bland would miss 6-8 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot. With the ball hawk now expected to be put on short-term injured reserve, things get a little more interesting for this position.
Assumedly, fifth-round rookie Carson, who has impressed in his first camp, will now step into a starting role. However, it may be an all-hands-on-deck situation to fill the void with players like Mukuamu and Booth being more involved.
Caelen Carson red zone interception on the goal line against Jimmy Garoppolo pic.twitter.com/txCdBkwjU9
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) August 8, 2024
They are a good enough group to weather the early-season storm, but things have just gotten harder ahead of Week 1.
Special Teams (3)
Kicker: Brandon Aubrey
Punter: Bryan Anger
Long Snapper: Trent Sieg
Status quo here from last season. Aubrey looks to be one of the NFL’s best kickers once again, while Anger is a long-time veteran who is as steady as they come.
