Worth the risk? Who the Dallas Cowboys could, and couldn't afford to cut

ARLINGTON — Roster management is a game within the game. You have to know when to hold ’em, and you also have to know when to cut them, because if you cut them, then you might not get them back. It’s a game the Dallas Cowboys are about to play before cutdown day on Tuesday.

The Cowboys hope Tuesday’s goodbyes aren’t forever in the case of some players they release. They hope that some will come back and join their 16-person practice squad. The only problem: once the Cowboys cut ties with players, then other teams can claim them and add them to their 53-man roster.

Therein lies the risk of the game.

How will that shape the Cowboys’ 53-man roster? We have a projection here. But in this post, let’s look at which players the Cowboys could afford to stash on their practice squad, and those they likely would lose if they cut.

Players the Dallas Cowboys can’t afford to waive

S Julius Wood

I kept thinking about former Cowboys undrafted free agent Isaiah Land during Saturday’s preseason game. Land was a player that signed with the Cowboys in 2023 after going undrafted out of Florida A&M. He was looked at as a talented, but developmental pass rusher. The Cowboys waived him in a tough decision last cutdown day in the hopes of bringing him back to the practice squad. There, he could develop.

Instead, the Cowboys lost Land to the Indianapolis Colts, who claimed him off waivers and added him to their 53-man roster. Land has looked good in preseason and has a good shot at making the Colts.

Who could be this year’s Land? I think it’s another undrafted free agent.

East Carolina’s Julius Wood has flashed in the preseason. He had interceptions in two of the three games. He often found himself in the action. He showed enough to warrant a roster spot in the NFL. The only problem is that he plays a position where the Cowboys already have a ton of depth.

Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Markquese Bell and Juanyah Thomas are locks for the roster. Wood may be competing against beloved special teams ace C.J. Goodwin, who may be 34, but still commands a ton of respect in the Cowboys locker room from a leadership and ability standpoint in the special teams group. With the new kickoff, special teams have never been more important.

The Cowboys could cut Wood in the hopes of furthering his development on the practice squad. If they do, however, other teams will liekly be watching and waiting.

TE Brevyn Spann-Ford

The Cowboys should know firsthand how tantalizing Spann-Ford could be on the open market. They had to win a bidding war to even get him into the building as an undrafted free agent after the draft. They won that, but now, will they find a way to keep him?

Could be tough. The Cowboys have two locks in the tight end room in Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker, last year’s second round pick. John Stephens Jr., an undrafted free agent last season, has impressive pass-catching ability and vertical potential to go with an impressive showing in preseason from a blocking standpoint.

Spann-Ford has been quiet in preseason in the passing game, but he offers a ton of potential as a blocker. The 6-foot-7, 270 pound tight end has the looks and he has the potential. Add those two together and there’s usually external interest.

RB Deuce Vaughn

Two things can be true about the running back market: it’s saturdated, but there’s also room for players with unique skill sets to shine through. Vaughn posseses that. Cowboys owner Jerry jones said it himself when he called Vaughn “gadget juice” in an era that lacks it.

If the Cowboys release Vaughn, someone else would likely be interested in that gadget juice.

Players the Dallas Cowboys could stash on their practice squad

WR Tyron Billy-Johnson

Wide receiver is another position that’s over-saturated, and no slight to Billy-Johnson, but veteran players without a ton of in-game experience aren’t usually the first targets of antsy teams. Billy-Johnson is someone who could go through waivers.

If he did, Billy-Johnson could have some interest in staying on the Dallas practice squad, as well. He told me during training camp that he’s never spent more than a year in the same offensive system with the same playbook. He has that in Dallas. He’s also been around long enough to step in if one of the Cowboys’ younger recivers struggle or if someone gets hurt.

RB Royce Freeman

Freeman, another veteran, is someone that’s been avalaivble during the last couple seasons for a reason. He’s solid, dependable, and pretty much a known commodity at this point. He’s also someone that could play on special teams for Dallas. As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of running backs that will hit the open market on Tuesday. Freeman is someone who could slip through and be avalaible for the Cowboys.

LB Willie Harvey

You see a trend?

Harvey has had some good moments during the preseason and during training camp. He could be a dependable option if the Cowboys need to add a linebacker during the season due to injury.