Cowboys’ 53-man roster prediction for 2026 NFL season

Aug 24, 2026 - 21:45

Tough decisions are awaiting the Dallas Cowboys. But at least they have a rookie making things easier. Add it all up, and here is the 53-man Cowboys’ roster prediction for the 2026 NFL season.

It’s always good to have a strong roster. But it can also mean cutting players who wind up helping other teams. That could be the case this year for the Cowboys.

Quarterbacks (2)

Dak Prescott, Joe Milton III

It’s not simple. Sam Howell provides a steady option. Milton provides the highest ceiling. And with the Cowboys, ceiling almost always trumps steady.

Milton went 9 of 13 for 179 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. That comes on the heels of a good performance against the Seahawks.

Therefore, Howell gets clipped. In some years for the Cowboys, with a weaker overall roster, Howell sticks. But not this time. And one area is the key for Milton, according to newsday.com.

“This game is about being able to control the RPMs of the football and throw it with different speeds and touches,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “He’s done that at a very high level.”

Running back (4)

Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke

This means Phil Mafah doesn’t make the cut. But that’s increasingly looking like the case. Davis may even surpass Blue as RB2, according to a post on X by Nick Harris.

“So, in 15 plays, we’ve seen Cowboys RB Malik Davis run for 29 yards on five carries, pick up a blitz in pass protection, and haul in an eight-yard TD reception on a third down in the red zone. Sounds like an RB2 to me?”

Wide receivers (6)

CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Ryan Flournoy, Jonathan Mingo, Camden Brown

Yes, Brown gets the nod at WR6. Schottenheimer likes what he has seen of Brown, according to dallasnews.com.

“Cam’s done a really, really good job,” Schottenheimer said. “I’m very, very pleased with him. He’s done it every day. But again, I think it’s a little bit cart before the horse. Jonathan Mingo’s having a hell of a training camp, and it’s a very competitive room. Anthony Smith’s a guy that hasn’t played a lot of football, but he’s extremely talented. Very, very fast. So those guys are battling their butts off to make this football team.”

But Brown is that guy. Not Smith, and not Valdes-Scantling.

Tight end (3)

Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Luke Schoonmaker

Pretty clear-cut here. However, Michael Trigg is tough to turn loose.

Offensive line (10)

Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker, Terence Steele, T.J. Bass, Nate Thomas, Ajani Cornelius, Drew Shelton, Trevor Keegan

This is a lot of bodies to keep at one position. But it’s necessary. And keeping 10 linemen is one reason why the Cowboys stick with just two quarterbacks.

One good thing is that Dak Prescott believes in even some of the guys behind the starters, according to dallassportsjournal.com.

“For me, it’s about giving those guys confidence,” Prescott continued. “Because whichever one it is or whichever couple it is, I want him to have as much confidence as there is in the world that he can do his job and that I trust him in doing his job. We have to work together, and I’ll make him better.”

Defensive tackle (5)

Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Otito Ogbonnia, LT Overton, Jonathan Bullard

This one comes down to Jay Toia and Jonathan Bullard. It’s a tough call. We will go with the veteran in Bullard, who started all 17 games for the Vikings in 2024 and had six starts with the Saints last year. It should be noted that Toia helped himself against the Cardinals. And the door isn’t closed yet.

Edge rusher (5)

Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Von Miller, Malachi Lawrence, James Houston

If this group of five holds, Sam Williams is out the door. It also means Marist Liufau is gone. Whether this holds remains to be seen. But this is another one of those tough calls where the Cowboys will put real talent on the street.

Houston seems like a lock. He has consistently gotten pressure on quarterbacks. And injuries have hampered Williams throughout his career. It’s hard to justify the investment on an injury-prone player with a very tight roster.

Linebacker (5)

DeMarvion Overshown, Dee Winters, Jaishawn Barham, Shemar James, Justin Barron

Barham’s ascension has made this room look like it has a lot more teeth. This doesn’t mean he’s going to push Winters out of the starting lineup, but his spot is extremely secure, according to dallascowboys.com.

“Everyone in the Cowboys organization from Jerry Jones to Brian Schottenheimer was raving about Barham,” Tommy Yarrish wrote. “The rookie is all business. And that translated to a strong camp where he was able to show he can play inside.”

Cornerback (5)

DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel Jr., Cobie Durant, Devin Moore, Caelen Carson

The one player dangling here is Carson. The emergence of Revel has sharpened this room and made it tougher for guys like Carson. Revel is on point so far, according to a post on YouTube by the Dallas Cowboys via atozsports.com.

“We expect a standard of performance for everybody,” Parker told reporters on Wednesday. “(Revel Jr.) has reached that level. We expect better things from him, and he’s been reaching those expectations.

“He’s always looking for ways to improve,” Parker added. “It could be a good rep, it could be a bad rep, it could be a rep that he wasn’t even in on. He’s always looking for ways that, how can he catch up from the mental side of the game.”

Safety (5)

Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker, P.J. Locke, Julius Wood

This means Markquese Bell will be looking for a new team. And he’s good enough to find one. That says a lot about what the Cowboys have at the safety position in 2026.