Cowboys' way-too-early 53-man roster projection: Well known names cut for younger blood

It's that time of the year again: With the 2024 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror and a solid idea of what the UDFA class looks like, it's time to project what the Dallas Cowboys' 53-man roster will look like this season.

Yes, injuries and roster maneuvers will impact all of this, but consider this a fun exercise to start identifying some of the top battles that will be taking place throughout the offseason and training camp. Let's dive in.

Note: Players with one asterisk (*) represent 2024 draft picks and players with double asterisks (**) represent 2024 undrafted free agents.

Quarterback (2)

IN: Dak Prescott, Trey Lance
OUT: Cooper Rush

The Cowboys showed they were willing to carry three quarterbacks on the roster last season but this feels like the end of the road for Rush given how much the front office has invested in Lance. The "emergency QB" rule isn't valuable enough to automatically carry a third quarterback on the team. 

Running back (4)

IN: Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke (FB)
OUT: Snoop Conner, Malik Davis, Royce Freeman, Nate Peat**

Zeke is back! And that spells trouble for players like Davis and Freeman, who might not offer much more than Elliott. Vaughn is far from a roster lock at this point but I'll give him the edge thanks to his playmaking ability. 

Wide receiver (6)

IN: CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy*
OUT: Martavis Bryant, David Durden, Racey McMath, Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Cam Johnson**, Corey Crooms**

The competition on the backend of the WR room will be exciting to watch come training camp. But it absolutely feels like we've got a safe bet here. Brooks showed impressive flashes in 2023, Flournoy is a draft pick, and Turpin's role might only grow with the new kickoff rules. You'll have a tough time convincing me this projection will be wrong in September.

Tight end (4)

IN: Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, John Stephens Jr., Brevyn Spann-Ford**
OUT: Peyton Hendershot, Princeton Fant, Alec Holler**

Speaking of fun camp competitions, how about this room? Schoonmaker has been underwhelming but there's now way they cut a second-round pick in his second year, so he's a lock. Hendershot is good but the Cowboys have confirmed Stephens Jr. would've made it last year had it not been for his injury. And that Spann-Ford kid needs to catch better but he's an athlete and a fun blocker who the Cowboys paid big money to.

Offensive line (10)

IN: Tyler Guyton*, Tyler Martin, Cooper Beebe*, Zack Martin, Terence Steele, T.J. Bass, Brock Hoffman, Nathan Thomas*, Matt Waletzko, Asim Richards
OUT: Josh Ball, Earl Bostick Jr., Dakoda Shepley, Chuma Edoga

There will be some tough cuts here but the Cowboys get some solid depth at every position with this group. This year is crucial for Waletzko, who the front office seems to really like. Three OL in this year's draft class sure makes you feel better about this group.

EDGE (5)

IN: Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Sam Williams, Viliami Fehoko, Marshawn Kneeland*
OUT: Tyrus Wheat, Durrell Johnson

Yes, I'll always list Parsons with the edge rushers. This group loses a couple of big pieces but it's time for Sam Williams to step up and he'll have some fun competition for EDGE3 with the violent and electric rookie, Marshawn Kneeland.