Two preseason games are in the books, and only one remaining prior to the Dallas Cowboys, along with the rest of the National Football League, slimming down their rosters from up to 90 players all the way down to the mandated 53.
There aren't many spots up to compete for with so many being held on to by members of the 2023 squad, but there are a few available. Offensive tackle Chuma Edoga is out with 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 the moment. Some of these positions could be altered after Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here is our latest Cowboys 53-man roster projection with one preseason game remaining.
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 in terms of who will be on the 53-man roster. However, the backup quarterback job is up for grabs. Both owner and general manager Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy have praised Rush's consistency and are looking to see a little more from Lance in the preseason finale against the Chargers. Jones went out of his way to guarantee Lance will be on the 53-man roster.
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 going to be tough one to make decisions about with Deuce Vaughn making the roster a year ago as a sixth-round rookie. Elliott, Dowdle and Luepke are reasonable holdovers from last season, or years past in the case of Elliott, while Freeman impressed coach Mike McCarthy early in camp after signing a one-year deal this offseason.
Davis served as a practice squad guy for most of last year, and he could easily end up there in 2024. 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. Vaughn may remain behind the metaphorical eight ball after just rejoining practice last week after not practicing since July 31 because of a hamstring injury. Even though he flashed against the Raiders in the team's second preseason game, it's unclear if that will be enough to crack this roster.
WR -- (6): CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy
Out: Jalen Cropper, Tyron Billy-Johnson, David Durden, Racey McMath, Kelvin Harmon, Cam Johnson, Deontay Burnett
Analysis: Cropper and "T-Billy" -- as he is affectionately known around his teammates and coaches -- feel more like practice squad players after the first two preseason games. Both of them were targeted once against the Raiders, and neither of them recorrded a catch. Flournoy, a 2024 sixth-round pick, hauled in his first touchdown catch as an NFL player on a goal line fade route against Las Vegas projected starting corner Jack Jones.
He also made a nice catch in practice out at training camp over 2024 NFL interceptions leader DaRon Bland.
TE -- (3): Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens Jr.
Out: Peyton Hendershot, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Princeton Fant, Alec Holler
Analysis: Ferguson is the obvious top tight end in Dallas after earning plenty of Prescott's trust, and Schoonmaker, a 2023 second-round pick, gets a spot as he continues to show progress in his development. Stephens Jr. has shown some promise while working his way back from a torn ACL, and he has five catches for 35 receiving yards this preseason. Hendershot and Spann-Ford could earn practice squad spots.
OL -- (10): Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Zack Martin, T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe, Terence Steele, Asim Richards, Matt Waletzko, Josh Ball
Out: Nathan Thomas, Cohl Cabral, Dakoda Shepley, Earl Bostick Jr.
Analysis: Thomas, 2024 seventh-round pick, could be a practice squad player. Ditto for the other three 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, Linval Joseph
Out: Justin Rogers, Viliami Fehoko Jr., Al-Quadin Muhammad, Carl Davis, Albert Huggins, Tyrus Wheat, Durrell Johnson, Denzel Daxon
Analysis: Dallas' latest defensive line pick ups acquiring nine-year veteran defensive tackle Phillips -- along with edge rusher Carl 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 Aug. 14. "We have to find some more noses obviously. See how these young guys do. Just kind of go from there."
These comments definitely had a direct impact on the Cowboys trading for Phillips on Aug. 15 and signing Joseph on Wednesday. Lawson's arrival on Aug. 15 was exactly what was needed for the pass rush after Sam Williams suffered a season-ending torn ACL. No other Cowboys edge rusher caught people's attention in camp outside of second-round rookie Kneeland.
LB -- (4): Eric Kendricks, DeMarvion Overshown, Damone Clark, Marist Liufau
Out: Damien Wilson, 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 (Overshown, Clark and Liufau) 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 Aug. 9 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 on the 2024 team.
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 in NFL history to start a career. He also drained a 66-yard field goal in the preseason game at the Raiders, a distance that stands as the NFL regular season record, which was set by Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. Anger earned his second 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 praised Goodwin's impact leading the special teams unit both on and off the field.