Trimming an NFL roster down from 90 players to 53 by the start of the regular season is never easy. These tough decisions are looming in Dallas, as multiple Cowboys cut candidates will try to save their jobs this summer.
Brian Schottenheimer is trying to usher in his own era of Cowboys football, proven by a much larger free agency class than normal, and a best-player-available draft strategy.
Now is not the time to be sentimental about aging veterans or bad roster fits.
Cowboys 2025 draft class pic.twitter.com/LMCf3pEbBz
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 26, 2025
While the performance of those guys, and their potential replacements, is important, sometimes a move needs to be made regardless of all of that.
Whether it be for salary cap purposes or needing younger players, or scheme-fitting players on the field, cuts are sometimes pre-destined no matter what happens during training camp and the preseason.
Dallas, despite what fans or fellow players might say, has a few guys that fit this bill.
There are two Cowboys cut candidates in particular that the team has to cut ties with as the roster slowly climbs down to 53.
Let’s talk about them and why their tenure in Dallas should end.
Miles Sanders: Easy Come, Easy Go
It has been just two months since the Cowboys signed former Eagles and Panthers running back Miles Sanders to a one-year deal, and his place on the roster has already been taken.
The former Pro Bowler from Penn State turned 28 on May 1st, and time has not been kind to his career. Since signing a big deal with Carolina in 2023, Sanders has run for just 637 yards, totaling 23.6 per game.
Some may attribute that to leaving Philadelphia for a bad Panthers offense, and I’m sure that didn’t help, but the numbers and eye test tell a familiar story.
This off-season the Carolina Panthers signed Miles Sanders to a 4 year, 25 Million dollar deal with 13 Million guaranteed.
In yesterdays win he had 2 attempts for 0 yards.
In the 2023-24 season, he is currently sitting at 63 attempts, 190 yards (3 ypc), and 1 TD. pic.twitter.com/WfowOO2CIT
— WyattzWorld (@WyattzWorId) October 30, 2023
Sanders is on the other side of his 20s, and he just doesn’t have the juice he once did.
He tallied 220 rushes in his final season at Penn State, and he is nearly the 1,000 mark for his career in the NFL. That is a ton of tread on his tires.
When you combine that with a pair of hamstring and knee sprains over the last five years, you have a running back who, for all his experience and leadership, cannot produce on the field like you need him to.
Dallas has Javonte Williams, who, at 25, needs a career resurgence as well, and rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. Those three leave no true spot for Sanders in 2025.
Donovan Wilson: Long Tenure Should End
If you’re going to talk about Cowboys cut candidates, veteran safety Donovan Wilson is at the top of the list.
It hurts to say that, considering the tenure he has had in Dallas. We’re talking about a former Texas A&M Aggie who had to fight for every opportunity as a sixth-round pick over half a decade ago.
In that time, he’s played in over 80 games as a Cowboy, totaling 373 tackles, 13 sacks, and six interceptions. His 242 solo tackles are seventh all-time for a Dallas safety.
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1871042724113109268
Alas, Wilson is now 30 years old, and would bring over $6M in savings if he were designated as a post-June 1st cut.
When you combine the money, his increasing age, and the guys behind him, it just feels like it’s time to let him go before we see some diminished play in the secondary.
Markquese Bell, Israel Mukuamu, and Juanyeh Thomas have all been waiting in the wings for too long. It is time to give the young kids increased playing time, and let Malik Hooker handle the veteran role in the secondary.
Again, it would be tough to see a homegrown, fan-favorite talent like Wilson leave, but there are simply too many factors that tell you it’s time to say goodbye.
