I’m not revealing any major secrets here, but if the past 15 years or so that I’ve been intensely following the Dallas Cowboys training camp have taught me anything, it’s that rosters are largely set before the offseason program even begins, and most of the extra players brought in are little more than sparring and training partners for the roster locks.
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3 different Cowboys 53-man roster projections pinpoint contested roster spots
That is the stark reality of NFL life.
Injuries, standout performances in camp, and the occasional suspension provide the opportunity for maybe a handful of players each year to work their way onto the roster, but that’s pretty much it.
To get a better feeling for what the contested spots could be on the 2026 Cowboys roster, I took a look at three separate roster projections. One from from our old friend Mike Fisher at CowboysRoundtable.com, one from the always reliable Jon Machota of The Athletic, and one from our very own Connor Livesay.
These three projections should give us a good idea of where public sentiment currently stands regarding the 2026 Cowboys roster. I’ve combined all three projections in the tables below, one for the offense and one for defense and special teams combined. The tables highlight (in yellow) the spots that do not yet appear to be locked down. Look closely, and you’ll see there aren’t many of those spots left, at least if these projections are anything to go by.
| POS | Machota | Fisher | Livesay | ||
| Quarterbacks | Prescott | Prescott | Prescott | ||
| Milton | Milton | Milton | |||
| Running Backs | J. Williams | J. Williams | J. Williams | ||
| Luepke | Luepke | Luepke | |||
| Blue | Blue | Blue | |||
| Mafah | |||||
| Wide Receivers | Lamb | Lamb | Lamb | ||
| Pickens | Pickens | Pickens | |||
| Flournoy | Flournoy | Flournoy | |||
| Turpin | Turpin | Turpin | |||
| Mingo | Mingo | Holden | |||
| Tight Ends | Ferguson | Ferguson | Ferguson | ||
| Spann-Ford | Spann-Ford | Spann-Ford | |||
| Schoonmaker | Schoonmaker | Schoonmaker | |||
| Trigg | Trigg | Trigg | |||
| Offensive Line | Guyton | Guyton | Guyton | ||
| Smith | Smith | Smith | |||
| Beebe | Beebe | Beebe | |||
| Booker | Booker | Booker | |||
| Steele | Steele | Steele | |||
| Thomas | Thomas | Thomas | |||
| Shelton | Shelton | Shelton | |||
| Bass | Bass | Bass | |||
| Keegan | Keegan | Cornelius | |||
| Cornelius | Henessey | Henessey |
Not too many surprises for the offense, and there really only seem to be four spots up for grabs.
At QB, the consensus seems to be that the team has invested too much in Milton to just let him go – though there is an expectation that Sam Howell will challenge for the backup spot.
At RB, the question is whether the Cowboys will carry three or four players; Phil Mafah would really have to show up in camp to grab one of the last roster spots on the 53.
At WR, the final spot seems to be the contested one, and don’t discount Marquez Valdes-Scantling here, he might be a safer option for 2026 than either Mingo or Holden.
At TE, the spots look fixed, but the team could easily opt for just three tight ends, and the odd man out in that case may not be Michael Trigg but Luke Schoonmaker.
Finally, the only two truly contested spots appear to be the last two offensive line spots, and at this point you can make a case for almost every lineman to fill one of those two spots. A lot here will depend on how training camp plays out.
On defense and special teams, the situation is very similar, with competition likely only for the last backup spots.
| POS | Machota | Fisher | Livesay | ||
| Defrensive Line | Q. Williams | Q. Williams | Q. Williams | ||
| K. Clark | K. Clark | K. Clark | |||
| Bullard | Bullard | Bullard | |||
| Overton | Overton | Overton | |||
| Ogbonnia | Ogbonnia | Ogbonnia | |||
| Outside Linebacker | Gary | Gary | Gary | ||
| Ezeiruaku | Ezeiruaku | Ezeiruaku | |||
| Lawrence | Lawrence | Lawrence | |||
| S. Williams | S. Williams | S. Williams | |||
| Houston | Houston | Houston | |||
| Wheat | Wheat | ||||
| Inside Linebacker | Overshown | Overshown | Overshown | ||
| Winters | Winters | Winters | |||
| Barham | Barham | Barham | |||
| James | James | James | |||
| Barron | Barron | Robinson | |||
| Cornerback | Bland | Bland | Bland | ||
| Revel | Revel | Revel | |||
| Durant | Durant | Durant | |||
| Moore | Moore | Moore | |||
| Kendrick | Steward | Butler | |||
| Bridges | Carson | ||||
| Safety | Downs | Downs | Downs | ||
| Thompson | Thompson | Thompson | |||
| Hooker | Hooker | Hooker | |||
| Locke | Locke | Locke | |||
| A. Clark | |||||
| Special Teams | Aubrey | Aubrey | Aubrey | ||
| Anger | Anger | Anger | |||
| Sieg | Sieg | Sieg |
At outside linebacker and safety, the only question is whether the Cowboys go long at those spots and keep an extra guy, and the fifth ILB spot also seems to be contested to some degree.
The cornerback position may be the most contested in camp, but again, it’s likely to be about just the two last spots at the position, but there will be a lot of players contesting those two spots.
As far as projections go, these three have probably summarized the general sentiment about the roster pretty well at this point of the season.
Suspensions (knock on wood), trades, injuries (knock on wood three times), and other things of that nature (knock on wood) tend to disrupt these projections. But that’s also where depth guys then get to step up and seize their opportunity.
What’s your take on the combined projections above, and which of your pet cats didn’t make the cut on any of the three projections?
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Death penalty off the table for man accused of beheading Dallas motel manager, prosecutors say
Dallas, TX
Top 10 Dallas Cowboys of 2026: Rashan Gary is Complete EDGE Dallas Needed
In need of help on the edge, the Dallas Cowboys tried to make a huge move this offseason. They made multiple attempts to trade for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby, but were never able to get a deal done.
Once that one was off the table, they decided to send a fourth round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for veteran Rashan Gary. The move was criticized, which is rather confusing when you think about it. Dallas gave up a mid-round pick, and reworked his contract to where it hardly makes any impact on a salary cap. They also filled a position of a great need with a player who might not threaten to lead the league in sacks, but is well-rounded and can help against the run just as much as he does when rushing the passer.
Gary is entering his eighth season in the league and has 271 tackles and 46.5 sacks. He’s coming off another solid campaign, which is why he’s No. 9 on our list of top 10 players on the Cowboys’ roster.
Rashan Gary 2025 review
Gary’s numbers in 2025 were respectable, but could be misleading. He was on pace to record 18 sacks, as he had 7.5 through the first seven games of the year. He then disappeared for the final nine games, recording no sacks while struggling to generate pressure.
That led to his season as a whole being considered rather disappointing, which is why the Packers were willing to move on. It’s also why Dallas was able to convince him to take a pay cut after he joined their team. What was most frustrating for Green Bay was the fact that they needed him to step up when Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL late in the year and Gary was unable to do so.
Rashan Gary 2026 prediction
One thing critics of the move are failing to see is the fact that Dallas doesn’t need Gary to record double-digit sacks. They need him to be the veteran voice for a group of young pass rushers who are trying to find their footing in the league.
Second year player, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Malachi Lawrence both have the talent to be game-changers off of the edge. What they don’t have, is the experience. That’s where Gary comes in.
As those two continue to develop, Gary will be the stabilizing veteran force who can make plays on early downs, while also being disruptive as a pass rusher. We can’t ignore the struggles that he had in 2025, but perhaps the change of scenery will give him some motivation to turn back the clock. And Dallas didn’t have to give up much to give him that opportunity.
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Dallas, TX
Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa runs for Dallas Mayor
DALLAS – Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced that he is running for Mayor of Dallas on Monday.
Hinojosa says the city needs experienced leadership to address the budget challenges and pro sports teams leaving Downtown Dallas.
Addressing Dallas’ budget and pro sports team
Local perspective:
Michael Hinojosa served two stints as superintendent of Dallas ISD, totaling 13 years. He told FOX 4 that he officially filed paperwork to enter the race and plans to formally launch his campaign at a Tuesday morning news conference at Dallas City Hall.
Hinojosa points to financial track record at Dallas ISD
What they’re saying:
Hinojosa cited his tenure leading Dallas ISD as evidence of his financial management experience, saying the district’s reserves grew from about $32 million when he took over in 2005 to nearly $1 billion in obligated and unobligated fund balances by the time he left.
“I think that it’s really important for this community to know that we’re at an inflection point and that the city and the community need a strong, proven leader,” Hinojosa said.
He pointed to the city’s budget shortfall, employee furloughs and concerns over major sports franchises potentially leaving downtown as examples of challenges facing Dallas.
He said solving the city’s challenges would require coalition-building and pledged to focus on issues important to residents, taxpayers and businesses.
“I believe that a vision is a dream with a deadline,” Hinojosa said, adding that if elected he would aim to address the city’s biggest challenges within two terms.
Campaign announcement at Dallas City Hall
What’s next:
Hinojosa said he will outline his priorities during a 10 a.m. campaign announcement on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas City Hall.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by an interview conducted by FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb.
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