DALLAS — The first installment for the 2024 Dallas Cowboys has been submitted by head coach Mike McCarthy and his staff. There weren’t many surprises to the season’s initial 53-man roster, but it wasn’t exactly as many predicted either.
Among the questions that got answered with the release of the roster were the last players selected at the running back, wide receiver and linebacker positions, which players would round out the lines on both sides of the ball, and which cornerbacks and tight ends would make the final cut.
The final riddle that turned out to be extremely anticlimactic was the team officially deciding to keep a third quarterback, which was expected.
Let’s break down what the initial 53-man roster means for the Cowboys:
Quarterback (3): Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Trey Lance
The team kept three, which shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention. It’s been an offseason of advocating for Lance from the decision-makers, and the cost associated with him meant that they were keeping him, despite the up-and-down preseason results.
Running back (4): Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke (FB)
Vaughn beat out veteran RB Royce Freeman and third-year man Malik Davis for the final spot. There were mixed opinions on who would stick as the last RB on the roster, but Vaughn’s speed and big play ability is something Freeman and Davis don’t have. The offense needed a change-of-pace runner and they got it with Vaughn.
Wide receiver (6): CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, Ryan Flournoy
No surprises here, the unit is exactly how it should look after training camp and the preseason. Brooks and Flournoy were the best of the wideout group vying for the roster. Lamb’s inclusion comes with a bit of an asterisk, as he is still technically exempt due to his holdout that ended when he signed an extension earlier in the week, but that’s just a formality.
There’s always a little bit of roster hijinks and Lamb’s status isn’t in doubt for Week 1, he’ll be ready.
Tight end (4): Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens, Brevyn Spann-Ford
The top three TEs were expected, but the question was whether or not they would keep a fourth. Dallas chose to retain the rookie Spann-Ford after paying him the highest signing bonus in their undrafted free agent class.
Spann-Ford didn’t seem to impress much this summer, so his inclusion was one of the real surprises, but one should always follow the money with Jerry Jones in charge. It’s also possible that they didn’t want to cut him and make him subject to waivers, where they likely would lose him.
Offensive line (9): Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Zack Martin, Terence Steele, Brock Hoffman, Asim Richards, T.J. Bass, Matt Waletzko. *Chuma Edoga (on IR designated for return)
Edoga makes the roster for now, but will be moved to IR to allow Lamb’s reinstatement, so the total is nine for the offensive line group. The only minor shock here is that Waletzko makes it over Josh Ball, who looked like the better player in the exhibition games. Waletzko had a number of penalties in the preseason, which didn’t seem to move the needle for the coaching staff.
Defensive line (9): DeMarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa, Mazi Smith, Micah Parsons, Marshawn Kneeland, Chauncey Golston, Linval Joseph, Jordan Phillips, Tyrus Wheat
The top eight felt like they were set in stone, but perhaps the biggest roster shock was Wheat sticking. The second-year undrafted free agent beat out veteran defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad and the recently added DE Carl Lawson. Wheat did have a preseason sack, and perhaps it was his position flexibility that earned him the nod.
Regardless, it’s hard to see how Wheat is a better option than either of the veterans that the team released. So that will be something to monitor early in the year.
Linebacker (5): Eric Kendricks, Marist Liufau, Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown, Buddy Johnson
Johnson’s inclusion might have been a bit of a surprise, but he played well enough to win a job. The former fourth-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to beat out veterans Damien Wilson and Nick Vigil, among others, to make the team.
The four other spots were easy to predict at the position. Kendricks brings the familiarity with the scheme and coach, Clark moves to a more natural position at weakside LB, while recent draftees Liufau and Overshown battle for snaps along with Johnson. Overall, it appears to be a much better LB group than the team had last year.
Cornerback (5): Trevon Diggs, Jourdan Lewis, Caelen Carson, Andrew Booth, Israel Mukuamu
Booth’s inclusion was not guaranteed, but an injury to DaRon Bland that is expected to keep the All-Pro out for several weeks opened the door for Booth’s inclusion. The former Minnesota Vikings cornerback has been up and down since being acquired; the hope is he can play a role on special teams while improving at CB.
Mukuamu’s position has shifted from safety to CB, which was evident in the summer, and he’s on the 53 at his new spot.
Safety (4): Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Markquese Bell, Juanyeh Thomas
Nothing out of the ordinary here. These were always the four top safety options. There were some camp observers who thought Julius Wood had a chance at the roster, but it was not to be. The hope was that he could land on the practice squad, but he was claimed by the Tennessee Titans.
Specialists (4): C.J. Goodwin, Brandon Aubrey, Bryan Anger, Trent Sieg
The specialists were all expected, only this year the Cowboys didn’t have to do some voodoo magic to cut Goodwin, only to bring the special teams ace back to the roster.
Do you think the Cowboys have a roster that can win the division again in 2024? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
