One preseason game down, two to go before the Dallas Cowboys, along with the rest of the NFL, have to trim their rosters from as many as 90 players all the way down to the standard 53.
There aren't a ton of spots available that aren't being retained by members of the 2023 squad, but there are a few up for grabs. Offensive tackle Chuma Edoga is dealing with a toe injury that will likely cause him not to be ready for the regular season, so he is not included in this count below since he could be on injured reserve to begin 2024. That opens up an extra early 53-man roster spot for now. Some of these positions could still change over the next few weeks while others feel pretty set in stone.
Without further ado, here is our latest Cowboys 53-man roster projection with two preseason games left to play.
QB -- (3): Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Trey Lance
Out: None
Analysis: This is about as straightforward of a position as it gets on this roster. The Cowboys are trying to see what they have in Lance, so he will continue to be a large part of their preseason plans. He put together a mixed performance in the Cowboys' preseason opener against the Rams after Rush started and only played one drive.
RB -- (4): Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, Hunter Luepke
Out: Malik Davis, Deuce Vaughn, Snoop Conner, Nathaniel Peat
Analysis: The running backs position group is also pretty cut and dried at this moment in time. Elliott, Dowdle and Luepke are reasonable holdovers from last season while Freeman impressed coach Mike McCarthy early in camp after signing a one-year deal this offseason.
Davis was a practice squad guy for most of last year, and he could easily end up in that spot again this season. Vaughn made the initial 53-man roster last season, but McCarthy, who loves "position flex," may not see Vaughn as enough of a special teams contributor to justify the spot to start this season. He is someone who could definitely be a practice squad candidate. He is also behind the metaphorical eight ball after just rejoining practice on Wednesday after not practicing since July 31 because of a hamstring injury.
WR -- (6): CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, Jalen Cropper
Out: Ryan Flournoy, Tyron Billy-Johnson, David Durden, Racey McMath, Kelvin Harmon, Cam Johnson, Deontay Burnett
Analysis: Flournoy and "T-Billy" -- as he is affectionately known around his teammates and coaches -- feel more like practice squad players after the preseason opener. Flournoy had a disappointing drop, and he fumbled the football out of bounds on one of his two catches. Billy-Johnson has flashed in practices, but he wasn't targeted on Sunday.
TE -- (3): Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens Jr.
Out: Peyton Hendershot, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Princeton Fant, Alec Holler
Analysis: Ferguson is the clear cut TE1 on this team after earning plenty of Prescott's trust, and Schoonmaker, a 2023 second-round pick, gets a spot as he continues to develop. Stephens Jr. has flashed a few times in practice while working his way back from a torn ACL. Hendershot and Spann-Ford could earn practice squad spots.
OL -- (9): Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Zack Martin, T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe, Terence Steele, Asim Richards, Matt Waletzko
Out: Nathan Thomas, Cohl Cabral, Dakoda Shepley, Earl Bostick Jr., Josh Ball,
Analysis: Thomas, 2024 seventh-round pick, could be a practice squad player, along with Ball. Ditto for the other four names given the youth and depth along the Cowboys' offensive line.
DL -- (8): Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Mazi Smith, Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston, Marshawn Kneeland, Jordan Phillips, Carl Lawson
Out: Justin Rogers, Viliami Fehoko Jr., Al-Quadin Muhammad, Carl Davis, Albert Huggins, Tyrus Wheat, Durrell Johnson, Denzel Daxon
Analysis: Dallas acquiring nine-year veteran defensive tackle Phillips -- along with Lawson -- puts more players on the roster bubble. Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer wasn't thrilled with the interior defensive line production as a whole throughout camp, indicating many defensive tackles could be released come roster cutdown day.
"Mazi has done a good job in there," Zimmer said on Tuesday. "We have to find some more noses obviously. See how these young guys do. Just kind of go from there."
These comments likely had a direct impact on the Cowboys trading for Phillips on Wednesday. Lawson's arrival was exactly what was needed for the pass rush after Sam Williams suffered a season-ending torn ACL. No other DE has really stepped up in camp outside of second-round rookie Kneeland.
LB -- (5): Eric Kendricks, DeMarvion Overshown, Damone Clark, Marist Liufau, Damien Wilson
Out: Willie Harvey, Nick Vigil, Buddy Johnson, Darius Harris, Brock Mogensen
Analysis: This is another position where it's pretty clear. Kendricks is Zimmer's eyes and ears on defense after playing his first eight NFL seasons under him with the Minnesota Vikings from 2015-2022. The other young linebackers could be swapped in and out depending on the situation. Harvey, Vigil and Johnson are likely practice squad players.
CB -- (6): Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Jourdan Lewis, Caelen Carson, Eric Scott Jr., Andrew Booth Jr.
Out: Josh Butler, Kemon Hall, Josh DeBerry
Analysis: Carson, the team's 2024 fifth-round pick, has been solid throughout camp. Scott Jr. has shown improvement and Booth is a player Dallas traded for on Friday from Minnesota.
S -- (5): Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell, Israel Mukuamu
Out: Sheldrick Redwine, Emany Johnson, Julius Wood
Analysis: All five of the safeties here were on the 2023 team, and there's no reason why all five wouldn't be again in 2024.
Special Teams (4): K Brandon Aubrey, P Bryan Anger, LS Trent Sieg, CB C.J. Goodwin,
Out: None
Analysis: Aubrey earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in his first season in Dallas after making his first 35 NFL field goals, the most all time to start a career. Anger earned his second career Pro Bowl selection last season after his 44.9 net yards per punt ranked as the second-most in the NFL behind only Raiders punter AJ Cole (45.1). Sieg returns as the long snapper, and special teams John "Bones" Fassel has long lauded Goodwin's impact leading the special teams unit both on and off the field.