If you had a “pet cat” who didn’t make the Cowboys 53-man roster, we may have the reason why.
Roster cuts are not only a tough time for the thousand-plus players who don’t make an NFL roster, but also their fans. We develop rooting interests and attachments to certain guys throughout the offseason, sometimes as early as the draft and UDFA signings. When they ultimately don’t make the 53, we’re left asking why.
Today, let’s look through some of the fan favorites from the Cowboys’ 2024 offseason who ended up among the toughest cuts. Some of these have already been scooped up by other teams while others have just been signed to our practice squad. Why did Dallas choose not to secure these players with a spot on their official roster?
S Julius Wood
Arguably the most disappointing cut for most, Wood had an outstanding camp and preseason and was easily the fifth-best safety on the roster. Dallas only kept four true safeties at final cuts and left Wood vulnerable to waivers. Unfortunately, the Tennessee Titans claimed him and cost the Cowboys a strong practice squad member and potential future backup.
As good as he was in August, causing three turnovers across Dallas’ three preseason games, Wood ultimately didn’t make it. Two key factors were at work; the Cowboys already have exceptional depth at safety and more critical needs at other positions.
With starters Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson expected to thrive under Mike Zimmer, and then two great backups in Juanyeh Thomas and Markquese Bell, Dallas likely didn’t foresee many opportunities to get Wood on the field. Hooker and Wilson are both under contract in 2025 while Thomas and Bell will be restricted free agents, so keeping that foursome intact next season won’t be hard if the Cowboys choose to. Given that, despite his potential, Wood was expendable.
Also hurting Wood is the versatility and experience of Israel Mukuamu, who can play corner and safety. Mukuamu’s ability to backup both depth charts allowed Dallas to keep assets elsewhere, such as having C.J. Goodwin as a pure specialist, going 10-deep at offensive line, or holding onto a fourth tight end. Wherever that extra space manifested, it was ultimately for someone the Cowboys thought they needed more now and perhaps next year than Wood.
True, Dallas may regret losing Wood next year if either Hooker or Wilson becomes a cap casualty. But given their current success rate with late-round and undrafted defensive backs, the Cowboys might feel confident that there will be more prospects like Wood in the very near future.
RB Malik Davis
Davis has had a following for three offseasons now since joining Dallas as a 2021 undrafted free agent. But while he’s displayed solid running ability the last two seasons he was never able to beat out Rico Dowdle for a roster spot, lacking the special teams value, blocking ability, and other traits that the team wants from its RB depth. Dowdle’s move up the depth chart in 2024 didn’t help as Davis again found himself on the practice squad.
With Ezekiel Elliott’s return and the expected expansion of fullback Hunter Luepke’s role, the backfield’s filled up quickly. The last spot ended up going to second-year prospect Deuce Vaughn, who offers a different skill set and more variety in role and play options. He also can serve as a backup returner to KaVontae Turpin, which further increases value.
Months ago, we suggested that Davis’ only path to a roster spot might be winning the starting job. If he was clearly the best option to get the majority of the RB touches, that would mitigate the lack of versatility. But that obviously didn’t happen; prospect Snoop Conner arguably looked more potent on carries than Davis during preseason games. Dallas still thought enough of Davis to keep him on the practice squad for now, but with Dalvin Cook now in the mix it’s hard to imagine he’ll get much run in the regular season.
CB Eric Scott Jr.
Given the potential for DaRon Bland to miss a month or two with his foot injury, Scott seemed like a solid bet to make the roster. But rookie Caelen Carson emerged as the best young prospect at cornerback, and then Dallas traded for 2022 second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr. as a new developmental option. With the aforementioned versatility of Israel Mukuamu, Scott was waived and was claimed by the Kansas City Chiefs.
While only in his second season, Scott’s already 25. Comparatively, Booth is over a year younger despite having an extra year of experience. And while he did get burned at times of big plays in the preseason, Booth also showed some strong tackling ability and playmaking potential at other times. Having just arrived in Dallas three weeks ago, the team probably wanted to get more time to evaluate him.
Had Scott come in and shown significant improvement in his second season, he’d probably still be here. But given what the Cowboys saw from Carson as a rookie, Booth’s perceived upside, and the value of Mukuamu, Scott just didn’t bring enough to the table. Dallas likely would’ve had him on the practice squad if not for Kansas City. Perhaps Scott will wind up with a Super Bowl ring like some other Cowboys-turned-Chiefs in recent years.
LB Willie Harvey Jr.
Many were intrigued by the UFL standout when Dallas signed him in mid-June along with CB Gareon Conley. While he lasted longer than Conley, who retired just as camp began, Harvey was one of the losers in what surprisingly became a tight contest for the bottom of the LB depth chart. Not only did he not make the 53 but the 28-year-old is currently a free agent and not on any team’s practice squad.
This isn’t so much about what Harvey didn’t do but more what the competition around him did. Buddy Johnson, a 2021 fourth-round pick by the Steelers who is still just 25, took the last LB spot behind the long-expected group of Micah Parsons, Eric Kendricks, DeMarvion Overshown, Damone Clark, and Marist Liufau. Undrafted rookie Brock Mogensen got a practice squad invite, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s four years younger than Harvey with room to grow. Veterans Damien Wilson and Darius Harris also did well this summer. Harris did make Dallas’ practice squad while Wilson ended up waived with an injury designation.
Linebacker was a hot-button issue for the Cowboys this offseason and it wasn’t until camp that we realized how much stronger it had become. It was still an open battle for that last roster spot but where Harvey’s UFL performance seemed to give him an edge earlier in the summer, improvement from younger prospects and some other veteran additions stiffened the competition.
