The Dallas Cowboys have a strong idea of what they plan to work with in the upcoming season and the recently completed Organized Training Activities helped solidify some things heading into the mandatory phase of things. New head coach Brian Schottenheimer had a relatively strong attendance record, minus the teams two biggest defensive stars.
While there’s the possibility Dallas looks outside the organization to bring in additional veteran help, for now the Cowboys have a 91-man roster (thanks to the International Player Pathway exemption) that they’ll take into next week’s minicamp. There could be some shuffling after that, and to help identify where help may be heading, a projection of the 53-man roster is in order.
Here, a look at which players should be roster locks, pretty secure, possibles, cut and PUP/NFI candidates is a must projection.
Quarterbacks (2 on roster, 1 on practice squad)
Roster Locks
- Dak Prescott
- Joe Milton III
Pretty Secure
None
Think They Make It
None
Practice Squad
- Will Grier
Cut or Trade Candidate
None
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Running Backs (4 + 1)
Roster Locks
- Javonte Williams
- Jaydon Blue (R)
Pretty Secure
- Hunter Luepke
Think They Make It
- Phil Mafah (R)
Practice Squad
- Miles Sanders
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Deuce Vaughn
Tight Ends (3 + 1)
Roster Locks
- Jake Ferguson
- Luke Schoonmaker
- Brevyn Spann-Ford
Pretty Secure
None
Think They Make It
None
Practice Squad
- Tyler Neville (UDFA Rookie)
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
- John Stephens (knee)
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Princeton Fant
- Rivaldo Fairweather (UDFA)
Wide Receivers (6 + 3)
Roster Locks
- CeeDee Lamb
- George Pickens
- Jalen Tolbert
- Jonathan Mingo
- Kavontae Turpin
Pretty Secure
- Ryan Flournoy
Think They Make It
None
Practice Squad
- Parris Campbell
- Jalen Brooks
- Traeshon Holden (UDFA)
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
- None
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Kelvin Harmon
- Jalen Moreno
- Josh Kelly (UDFA)
Offensive Linemen (9 + 4)
Roster Locks
- Tyler Guyton
- Tyler Smith
- Cooper Beebe
- Tyler Booker (R)
- Terence Steele
- Asim Richards
Pretty Secure
- Robert Jones
- Brock Hoffman
Think They Make It
- Saahdiq Charles
Practice Squad
- Hakeem Adeniji
- TJ Bass
- Nathan Thomas
- Anaji Cornelius (R)
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Matt Waletzko
- Dakoda Shepley
- Jack Anderson
Defensive Ends (6 + 1)
Roster Locks
- Micah Parsons
- Dante Fowler
- Donovan Ezeiruaku (R)
- Marshawn Kneeland
Pretty Secure
- Sam Williams
- Payton Turner
Think They Make It
None
Practice Squad
- Luigi Vilain
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Tyrus Wheat
Defensive Tackles (4 + 3)
Roster Locks
- Osa Odighizuwa
- Mazi Smith
Pretty Secure
- Solomon Thomas
Think They Make It
- Jay Toia (R)
Practice Squad
- Denzel Daxon (IPP)
- Justin Rogers
- Tommy Akingbesote (R)
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Earnest Brown
Linebackers (6 + 1)
Roster Locks
- Kenneth Murray
- Marist Liufau
- Shemar James (R)
Pretty Secure
- Jack Sanborn
Think They Make It
- Damone Clark
- Darius Harris
Practice Squad
- Justin Barron (UDFA)
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
- DeMarvion Overshown (knee)
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Buddy Johnson
- Brock Mogensen
Cornerbacks (6 + 3)
Roster Locks
- DaRon Bland
- Kaiir Elam
- Shavon Revel (R)
Pretty Secure
- Israel Mukuamu
Think They Make It
- Caelen Carson
- Alijah Clark (UDFA)
Practice Squad
- Bruce Harmon (UDFA)
- Josh Butler
- Kemon Hall
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
- Trevon Diggs (knee)
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Andrew Booth
- Troy Pride, Jr.
- Luq Barcoo
Safeties (4)
Roster Locks
- Malik Hooker
- Markqueese Bell
- Juanyeh Thomas
Pretty Secure
- Donovan Wilson
Think They Make It
None
Practice Squad
None
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Cut or Trade Candidate
- Mike Smith, Jr. (UDFA)
- Zion Childress (UDFA)
Special Teams (4)
Roster Locks
- Brandon Aubrey
- Trent Sieg
Pretty Secure
- Bryan Anger
Think They Make It
- CJ Goodwin
Practice Squad
None
PUP/NFI/IR Stash
None
Cut or Trade Candidate
None
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys 53-man roster projections and predictions after 2025 OTAs