FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys faced minimal surprises while finalizing their 53-man roster before the cutdown deadline. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated that the team would keep refining their roster, especially with the upcoming waiver wire.

“Will McClay looks exhausted right now, but I don’t feel bad for him at all,” Schottenheimer said. “I said, ‘Hey, I don’t want to hear it, get back in there and turn on some more film.’”

Several players such as Payton Turner and Jonathan Mingo were placed on the injured reserve list, while rookie Shavon Revel starts his career on the reserve/nfi list due to a torn ACL. Key highlights from the roster include the evaluation of position groups:

Quarterbacks (2)

QBs: Dak Prescott, Joe Milton
Takeaway: Joe Milton secured the backup QB position with a strong preseason performance, particularly highlighted during the final outing against the Atlanta Falcons.

Running Backs (5)

RBs: Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah, Hunter Luepke
Takeaway: Cowboys showcase a diverse mix of experienced veterans and promising rookies.

Wide Receivers (5)

WRs: CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flournoy
Takeaway: The top four receiver spots remained consistent, with Ryan Flournoy earning the final spot thanks to his outstanding contributions on special teams.

Tight Ends (3)

TEs: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford
Takeaway: Consistency in this segment with no unexpected changes.

Offensive Line (9)

OL: Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker, Terence Steele, T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, Ajani Cornelius, Nate Thomas
Takeaway: A youthful focus as the team assembles resources to strengthen the tackle position.

Defensive Line (11)

DL: Micah Parsons, Dante Fowler, Donovan Ezeiruaku, James Houston, Sam Williams, Mazi Smith, Solomon Thomas, Jay Toia, Marshawn Kneeland, Osa Odighizuwa, Perrion Winfrey
Takeaway: Concerns regarding Micah Parsons drive the need for a deeper roster at this position.

Linebackers (5)

LBs: Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, Marist Liufau, Damone Clark, Shemar James
Takeaway: Increased depth due to injuries in the core.

Cornerbacks (6)

CBs: Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, Caelen Carson, Andrew Booth, Zion Childress
Takeaway: Youth dominates the final nickel cornerback position decision.

Safeties (4)

S: Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Juanyeh Thomas, Markquese Bell
Takeaway: Consistency remains as the group stays akin to last year’s.

Specialists (3)

ST: K Brandon Aubrey, P Bryan Anger, LS Trent Sieg
Takeaway: Retaining the same team structure adds benefit to continuity.