3 Cowboys on roster bubble who must shine in 2026 NFL preseason

The hype train is constantly blowing its whistle for the Dallas Cowboys in 2026. And they have a linebacker who believes he’s ready to be elite. But there are some players fighting to make the team. And here are three Cowboys on the roster bubble who must shine in the 2026 NFL preseason.

It looks like a rock-solid starting lineup for the Cowboys. But who will be the guys behind the scenes for Brian Schottenheimer’s team?

Let’s start with the tight end position.

TE Luke Schoonmaker

In his first three NFL seasons, Schoonmaker had totaled only 49 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns. He simply hasn’t been able to carve out a productive role. And now his Cowboys days may be numbered.

Schoonmaker is currently slotted behind TE1 Jake Ferguson and backup Brevyn Spann-Ford. Also, Schoonmaker is looking over his shoulder at Princeton Fant and Michael Trigg.

Can Schoonmaker make a charge to stay in the mix? There’s still hope, according to dallascowboys.com.

“I do believe there’s potential for Schoonmaker to be a solid starter in the league for a team that utilizes his skill set in such a way as to maximize that fit,” Patrik Walker wrote. “But it’s also true that Jake Ferguson owns attributes better suited to what Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys are hoping to get from a TE1 — e.g., YAC ability.”

Tommy Yarrish added, “(Schoonmaker) didn’t have the best 2024 season, but he also didn’t have Dak Prescott for the majority of it. And that’s not the only reason for his struggles, but it definitely is one. While Schoonmaker was and has been handling most of the TE2 responsibilities, don’t rule out Brevyn Spann-Ford pushing for more snaps too.”

It doesn’t bode well for Schoonmaker that the Cowboys spent most of their undrafted free-agent money on Trigg and DJ Rogers, also a tight end. And that means something, according to dallasnews.com.

“The undrafted free agents that the Cowboys sign to the biggest deal often have a better chance at making the team than others,” Joseph Hoyt wrote. “Two years ago, tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford turned in the highest-paid undrafted deal into two years with the Cowboys thus far. If Spann-Ford could leap Schoonmaker on the depth chart, and if one or both of the undrafted rookie tight ends take strides, then Schoonmaker will certainly have to fight for his spot.

“The good news for Schoonmaker: He’s feeling healthy after dealing with multiple injuries the last two years. And he feels ready for the challenge.”

WR Jonathan Mingo

He’s sitting on the bubble right now. Mingo is behind the Cowboys’ starting trio of CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy. Also, he’s battling with guys like KaVontae Turpin, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Anthony Smith, Tyler Johnson, and Traeshon Holden.

But the good news is that Mingo enters camp in good health, according to a post on X by Hoyt.

“Worth noting: WR Jonathan Mingo was on the practice field during the portion open to the media. The Cowboys waived Jalen Cropper to open a roster spot yesterday — Mingo, currently two weeks into his 21-day practice window, is a candidate to get it.”

Mingo showed some promise during the first day of training camp, according to dallasnews.com.

“Backup quarterback Joe Milton III … completed a deep crossing path to Jonathan Mingo while rolling to his left and throwing across his body,” Hoyt wrote. “Speaking of Mingo: there’s a lot of pressure on the former second-round pick to earn his place on the Cowboys roster. (Mingo) only has six catches for 71 yards since the Cowboys acquired him at the 2024 trade deadline for a fourth-round pick. He got off to a good start, as well. He had a couple plays where he got open.”

However, Mingo isn’t on good footing.

“Perhaps the receiver on the roster most in danger of losing a spot is … Mingo,” Boyt wrote. “The Cowboys traded for him at the 2024 trade deadline. And it’s been hard for him to make an impact.”

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

At age 31, Father Time isn’t the best ally for Valdes-Scantling. Maybe his eight years of NFL experience helps. But his reception total has never been impressive. Here are his career catch-total numbers: 38, 26, 33, 26, 42, 21, 19, and 14.

Yes, that’s a lot of “yuck.” If something happened to one of the Cowboys’ starters, would a 31-year-old with a poor track record be the answer?

One thing for sure. Valdes-Scantling is in a mix of receivers who don’t have a firm grasp on a roster spot.

“I do think the battle for the fifth (and potentially sixth) receiver spot for the Cowboys should be interesting,” Hoyt wrote. “There are a lot of candidates. The 31-year-old (Valdes-Scantling) feels like a reliable option if he can contribute on special teams.

“Anthony Smith, a rookie seventh-round pick out of East Carolina, is another name to keep an eye on. Perhaps the most intriguing candidate is former undrafted free agent wide receiver Traeshon Holden. He played well in training camp last year and spent the entire season on the team’s practice squad. He appeared higher in the rotation during minicamp than some on the outside might’ve expected.”

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