National Football League

Dallas Cowboys 53-man roster projection 2.0: Which RBs, WRs make the cut?

Published Aug. 14, 2023 2:39 p.m. ET

This feels like the right time for a re-evaluation. The first time I made a roster projection, we were going largely off guesses. With 12 practices and a preseason game on the board, there's a lot more data to consider while trimming the Cowboys' roster.

The changes are nuanced. In my second crack at this, I took a hard look at positions where I might need to get away with going light. This version of the roster has one fewer running back and one fewer cornerback, as I searched desperately for a way to keep extra bodies at positions of need.

There's still a lot of preseason action to go, but here's what I'm thinking at the midpoint.

Quarterback (2)

Dak Prescott

Cooper Rush

I thought Will Grier had a perfectly solid outing against Jacksonville, but I'm just not convinced there's a true competition for the backup quarterback job. Cooper Rush is 5-1 when he's had the chance to start, and the Cowboys rewarded him with a nice pay bump. I don't see this changing.

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Running Back (3)

Tony Pollard

Deuce Vaughn

Rico Dowdle

Things have changed since camp began. For starters, Ronald Jones II has been suspended two games, so we know he won't be on the initial 53-man roster. I had 100% confidence that Deuce Vaughn would make this team prior to preseason, and his impressive showing against Jacksonville cemented that. For the time being, I'm going light here because there are more pressing needs elsewhere. I'd rather risk cutting an extra running back than a promising DB or pass rusher. I currently give the nod to Rico Dowdle over Malik Davis because of his speed, but this spot is far from settled.

[Helman: Deuce Vaughn still has a lot to prove, but preseason opener was a great start]

Wide Receiver (6)

Jalen Tolbert truly seems to be taking the next step. If he keeps on this track, he's got the WR4 role locked down and should see plenty of playing time in Year 2. The other two jobs are dicey. I opted for Jalen Brooks over Simi Fehoko because he's been more consistent over the last two weeks, but I don't think that decision is finalized. There's plenty left to play for. I'm curious if the coaching staff is truly committed to finding a role on offense for KaVontae Turpin. Between Turpin and Vaughn, they have two guys with very specific roles, and it gets tricky to find game-day jerseys for players like that.

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Tight End (3)

Jake Ferguson

Luke Schoonmaker

Peyton Hendershot

It's too early to overreact, but we should officially have an eye on John Stephens Jr., who had a wonderful debut against Jacksonville. One preseason game doesn't get you on the roster, and every year we see preseason darlings get cut. Still, athletic tight ends with ball skills are a valuable commodity — ask Peyton Hendershot, who made the roster as an undrafted free agent just last summer.

Offensive Line (10)

Tyler Smith

I'll be completely honest; I've got no idea what to do here after the initial starting five, so I just added an extra player to make my life easier. One thing this group has going for it is position flexibility, but that makes it even harder to decide what to do with everyone. Hopefully, Edoga will be back from his knee injury sooner rather than later, because the back half of the depth chart feels like a jumble of unknowns and we need to see these guys play.

Defensive End (5)

Sam Williams

Like I said last time, it's hard to imagine this changing much. It's one of the most loaded edge rusher groups in the NFL.

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Defensive Tackle (5)

I'm throwing this out there now: Johnathan Hankins is a 10-year vet, which means he can be cut without being subjected to the waiver wire. If the Cowboys are hard-pressed to find roster spots, he could be a prime candidate to be cut for 24 hours before returning to the team. Simple tricks like that are how the front office can sneak youngsters like Viliami Fehoko onto the roster and not risk losing them to another team.

Linebacker (5)

The decision-makers have to be feeling great about what they saw from Damone Clark and DeMarvion Overshown over the weekend. They are two young, athletic, physical guys who look likely to have big roles this season. I have a feeling Devin Harper is going to be a special-teams demon.

Cornerback (5)

Let's try something different here. I'm not confident about leaving Eric Scott Jr. off this list, because the Cowboys don't like cutting draft picks. But the roster looks crowded and there are also guys in the safety room, like Israel Mukuamu, who can play some corner. If Scott gets through waivers he'd be a lock to hang out on the practice squad.

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Safety (6)

This just might be the deepest group on the team. The top three were always a lock, but we're seeing good things from all the young guys — highlighted by Juanyeh Thomas' interception of Trevor Lawrence over the weekend. I'm not sure it shakes out this way, but it's an interesting thought.

Specialists (3)

LS Trent Sieg

P Bryan Anger

K Brandon Aubrey

I'm glad Brandon Aubrey had a chance to rebound from his missed extra point, but he's going to be facing serious scrutiny this week. He makes the roster right now because he's the only kicker in camp, but if the Cowboys aren't feeling confident when September rolls around, they'll undoubtedly look at outside options.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.

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