The preseason is officially in the books, and now the hard part begins for NFL front offices.
Teams across the league must trim their rosters down to 53 players by August 26th, with some cuts already happening early as coaches and general managers evaluate depth charts.
For the Dallas Cowboys, a handful of players sit on the bubble: talented athletes who contributed in camp and preseason, but ultimately didn’t do enough to secure a final roster spot.
On the offensive side of the ball, three names stand out as likely cuts.
RB Deuce Vaughn
When the Cowboys drafted Deuce Vaughn in the 6th round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it was one of the most emotional moments in team history.
His father, Cowboys scout Chris Vaughn, made the call, and Deuce became an instant fan favorite. Unfortunately, sentiment does not secure a roster spot in the NFL.
Vaughn showed flashes of his quickness and ability to make defenders miss during his rookie preseason, but his limited size and struggles in pass protection hurt his chances of carving out a consistent role.
This summer, Vaughn was competing for a backup spot behind a long list of running backs, but he never separated himself from the pack.
Rookie Phil Mafah showed more physicality, while Malik Davis provided more explosion between the tackles just one day after being signed off the street.
Vaughn may end up on the practice squad, but barring a surprise, it’s unlikely he makes the final 53.
OL Brock Hoffman
The Cowboys are always thin along the offensive line, which often gives bubble players like Brock Hoffman an opportunity to stick around.
Hoffman, an undrafted free agent in 2022, has seen snaps at center and guard during training camp, and his versatility has been valuable in practice.
However, the Cowboys offensive line group is rich with young, strong players who can give the same type of versatility.
Hoffman filled in during preseason games but did not separate himself from the rest of the pack as the running game mostly struggled.
The Cowboys have invested heavily in their offensive line depth this year, and young players offer more upside for the future.
Dallas needs reliable depth given the injury history of their starters, but Hoffman’s inability to consistently anchor against NFL-level competition makes him expendable.
He’s likely a candidate for the practice squad but doesn’t project as part of the 53-man roster.
WR Traeshon Holden
Wide receiver was always going to be one of the toughest positions to crack on the Cowboys’ roster.
With CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo, and likely even Jalen Tolbert locked into top roles, the battle came down to depth players trying to prove they could contribute on special teams and as situational targets.
Traeshon Holden, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon, gave a strong effort, but poor quarterback play didn’t help him separate himself from the competition.
Holden had a few nice moments in training camp practices and caught a couple of short passes during preseason action, but his lack of big plays compared to established players like Jalen Brooks or Ryan Flournoy likely leave him on the outside looking in.
Dallas values special teams versatility in its back-end receivers, and Holden didn’t flash enough in that area to warrant keeping him over proven contributors.
