The NFL preseason is officially in the books, and teams across the league now face one of the most difficult parts of the year: cutting down to the 53-man roster by the August 26th deadline.
For the Dallas Cowboys, the decisions feel especially tough this season, as the roster is loaded with young talent, new faces, and veterans battling for roles.
The offensive side of the ball in particular is filled with depth, which makes predicting who stays and who goes a real challenge.
One big development that helps provide clarity is the status of wide receiver Jonathan Mingo.
After suffering a sprained PCL during the preseason, I believe the Cowboys will place him on injured reserve to start the year.
Under current rules, he can return after missing the first four games, which allows the team to keep their depth intact while opening a temporary roster spot.
With that in mind, here’s my prediction for how the Cowboys’ 53-man roster will shape up on offense. Defense to follow tomorrow.
Quarterbacks (2)
Dak Prescott, Joe Milton
No surprises here. Dak Prescott is firmly entrenched as the starter and centerpiece of the offense.
The only real debate was whether the Cowboys would carry a third quarterback, but with roster spots at a premium, I believe they stick with just two.
Joe Milton earns the backup job thanks to his physical tools and upside, even though his preseason play was uneven.
Dallas will likely keep him on a short leash, possibly bringing back Will Grier or another veteran to serve on the practice squad and as emergency quarterback on game days.
Running Backs (4)
Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Hunter Luepke
This group reflects both versatility and youth.
Javonte Williams is set to be the feature back, and his power-running style gives the Cowboys a dependable presence in the ground game.
Rookie Jaydon Blue has shown burst and playmaking ability, while Phil Mafah brings a bruising element that could thrive in short-yardage situations.
Fullback Hunter Luepke secures his role as a hybrid player who contributes on offense and special teams, giving the unit some flexibility.
Together, this backfield looks balanced and has upside for growth as the season progresses.
Missed the cut: Miles Sanders, Deuce Vaughn
Wide Receivers (6)
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flournoy, Jalen Brooks
The biggest storyline here is Jonathan Mingo’s injury, which lands him on injured reserve to open the season. Without him, the Cowboys are slightly thinner at the position, but still carry six receivers.
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens headline the group as the primary weapons for Dak Prescott. KaVontae Turpin secures his spot not only as a receiver but also as a dynamic return man.
Ryan Flournoy and Jalen Brooks round out the room, both earning jobs through consistent play on special teams in camp and preseason.
While this isn’t the deepest group without Mingo, it remains dangerous and gives the Cowboys multiple options in the passing game.
Missed the cut: Traeshon Holden, Jalen Cropper
Tight Ends (3)
Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford
Tight end is one of the strongest and most stable position groups on the roster.
Jake Ferguson has emerged as Dak Prescott’s go-to option over the middle and a reliable red zone target.
Luke Schoonmaker brings versatility as both a blocker and a pass-catcher, allowing the Cowboys to run multiple personnel packages.
Brevyn Spann-Ford earns a spot as the developmental tight end, with his size and athleticism giving Dallas another weapon to groom for the future.
Carrying three tight ends makes sense given the importance of the position in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense.
Missed the cut: John Stephens Jr., Princeton Fant
Offensive Line (10)
Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker, Terence Steele, Nate Thomas, Ajani Cornelius, TJ Bass, Brock Hoffman, Saahdiq Charles
The Cowboys’ offensive line depth looks stronger than in recent years.
Tyler Guyton might not be ready for Week 1, but should be ready earlier in the season where placing him on IR isn’t worth it.
Tyler Smith has already established himself as a dominant interior player and should continue to dominate inside.
Cooper Beebe and Tyler Booker bring more youthful strength to the middle, and Terence Steele remains a steady veteran presence on the right side.
Behind them, Nate Thomas and Ajani Cornelius give the Cowboys valuable developmental tackles who can contribute if called upon.
TJ Bass provides interior versatility, while Brock Hoffman and Saahdiq Charles ensure that Dallas has reliable depth at center and guard.
This group features a blend of youth and experience, and while it may take time to gel, the long-term outlook is extremely bright.
Missed the cut: Hakeem Adeniji
Very reasonable projection.Why Williams is being just handed the starting running back job is a mystery as he never looked good in practice and was held out of almost all the preseason.
He obviously looked good or he wouldn’t have been given the starting job!! Apparently the PROFESSIONALS see what you can’t SEE, and that’s that Williams actually looked good in practice!! He obviously looked better than the rest of the RBs too since he was given the starting job!! And he was held out of the preseason games because he is the starter!! Ceedee, George and Dak plus many other starters were held out of the preseason games, because they are the starters!! And it’s no different with Williams!! He earned the starting job, so get over it!! And I really don’t know what you’ve been watching, but from what I’ve seen, Williams is gonna be a lot better than you think!! And I’ve said this more times than I can count, and it’s that Williams is still coming back from a major knee injury, and it takes longer than a year or 2 for a player to come back from…. Especially a RB!! And just because he was cleared to play, it doesn’t mean he’s mentally ready!! It can take years for players to get back to normal after an injury like Williams had!! It’s taken some players up to 3 years to get back to normal, and this is Williams 3rd year playing since the injury, so he should be back to his normal self this year!! And I can’t wait to see him prove people like you wrong!!
Can’t say I’m as confident in our O-line as you seem to be? Depth may be fine, but you don’t want to be calling on that – you want a solid starting 5.
Tyler Smith – sorted (though we can still expect a flag or two per game)
Tyler Booker – remains to be seen. But he is still only a rookie.
Cooper Beebe – I’m not convinced. I think he passes as an OK centre in this league. (Did you see how many blocks he missed or slipped over trying to get to the second level v Ravens?) He also loses a lot of leverage against a strong rusher.
Terence Steele – “steady”..???? He’s been anything but against a pass rush. I know there’s a new coaching staff and an inclination toward running the ball, which works to his strength, but he’s only ever had one decent year. He’s only steady in that he’s been left to go unchallenged for some absurd reason.
Protecting the blindside shouldn’t just be reserved for your strongest tackle these days as the leagues elite rushers seem to choose lining up over the RT’s these days – probably to get the match-up – but that’s the point.
Tyler Guyton – Like Steel, he seems fine when run-blocking, but simply doesn’t fill me with confidence when rushed. He’s very raw and the game may be slowing for him this year but it may take too much time (If Nate Thomas works out then I’m in favour of swapping Guyton over to replace Steele).
But with Steele & Guyton’s struggles, we could end up coming out of the bye week with 3 rookies across the line. Which would indicate a team likely experimenting at the back end of the season, not pushing for a playoff spot.
Strength in depth doesn’t equate to a strong first 5.