While the dust is still settling from the Dallas Cowboys’ roster moves, one decision that appears etched in 2025 stone is the return of defensive tackle Mazi Smith. This has drawn criticism throughout sectors of Cowboys Nation, but should it really have come as a surprise? Smith being a former first-round pick does matter, and […] While the dust is still settling from the Dallas Cowboys’ roster moves, one decision that appears etched in 2025 stone is the return of defensive tackle Mazi Smith. This has drawn criticism throughout sectors of Cowboys Nation, but should it really have come as a surprise? Smith being a former first-round pick does matter, and the team’s history of dealing with them shows how this third season should’ve never really been in doubt. Frustration with where Smith is at this point in his career is natural and appropriate. Rest assured, the front office and coaching staff share it. But even with an overhauled defensive staff under Matt Eberflus, the notion that Smith might not make the roster ahead of just his third NFL season was shaky at best. When we discussed the biggest surprises from Dallas’ recent roster moves, Smith’s continued presence didn’t make the list. Things got especially hot against Smith during a brief period on Tuesday when it was reported that DT Perrion Winfrey was released. This turned out to be false, but it set off a wave of criticism of how Smith would make the team over one of the standout performers from the summer. Others have suggested that seventh-round rookie Jay Toia is more deserving of a roster spot than Smith, despite not having a particularly strong camp or preseason himself. In the end, all three made the initial roster along with veterans Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas. We’ll see if the Cowboys add more DT talent from trades or free agency in the coming days, and who gets cut to make room for them. That could bring us back to this conversation of Smith versus Toia or Winfrey quickly. The level of first-round frustration we’ve reached with Mazi Smith is rare in Dallas. We hit on these picks far more often than not. By the time they’ve reached their third and fourth seasons, the debate is usually about when to give them their second contracts as opposed to whether or not they’ll even get one. Tyler Smith, Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, Byron Jones, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick, Tyron Smith, Dez Bryant; it’s been a good run. Even Leighton Vander Esch, whose only sins were health-related, shouldn’t fall into the bust category. But yes, and their names are already coming to your mind, there have been some failures along the way. But even in the worst of those cases, they all made the roster in their third seasons. Let’s run through them. DE Taco Charlton in 2019 The closest thing we’ve seen to the Mazi Smith situation in a long time, Charlton probably doesn’t make the roster in his third season if not for injury and other issues at defensive end. He didn’t last long, getting released in mid-September to make room for Robert Quinn’s return from suspension. What makes Charlton different from Smith is that there was a publicly known rift between him and the coaching staff, particularly defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. Charlton being in the doghouse was reported on, and he made his own frustrations known through social media. We haven’t seen anything like that coming in either direction between Smith and the current regime, or previous ones. That had far more to do with Charlton’s early undoing than his lack of accomplishments on the field. CB Morris Claiborne in 2014 We remember Claiborne so unfondly because of Dallas trading up in 2012 to take him sixth overall. But even with his issues, he still played five seasons here before finally moving on. Even after an injury-plagued second season, there was no doubt he’d be part of the team in 2014. He played out his rookie contract and got a one-year, make-or-break opportunity to return in 2016. Things never went well with Claiborne, but it took way longer than two years for the team to finally cut bait. CB Mike Jenkins in 2010 Another guy who struggled with injuries, Jenkins was actually a Pro Bowl alternate in his second season. It’s easy to forget that, though, as he was off the team just three years later and didn’t do much else in his career. Jenkins fell out of favor after struggles in the 2009 playoff loss to the Vikings, then the following two seasons with play and health issues. His decline was part of what prompted the big move for Morris Claiborne in 2012. But for as bad as it went from there, he went into Year 3 on a relative high. RB Felix Jones in 2010 The Cowboys’ other first-round pick in 2008, Jones was never given much chance to live up to that draft status. He was taken to be a speedy complement to the bruising Marion Barber, and later got passed on the depth chart by DeMarco Murray. But it took five years before Dallas finally pulled the plug, LB Bobby Carpenter in 2008 Some called him “Bo Carp.” Others called him “Barbie.” But nobody’s ever called him a good use of a draft pick. As much as Carpenter struggled, though, he lasted four years in Dallas before finally getting traded away to the Rams. Going into his third season, Carpenter had only started one game and was falling out of favor. But he remained in a backup role for two more years, even after his biggest advocate, Bill Parcells, moved on. We could keep going from here. Other ill-remembered first-round picks like DE Ebenezer Ekuban, TE David LaFleur, and DE Shante Carver got at least four seasons with the team. And this is all over a 30-year period, spanning six different head coaches and all the coordinator and assistant changes along

Brian Schottenheimer tears up while telling player he made Dallas Cowboys – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Dallas Cowboys are hoping Winfrey proves them right. So when defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey said that Schottenheimer wanted to see him in his office, he assumed that his time with the Cowboys was coming to a close. […] Brian Schottenheimer tears up while telling player he made Dallas Cowboys – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Dallas Cowboys are hoping Winfrey proves them right. So when defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey said that Schottenheimer wanted to see him in his office, he assumed that his time with the Cowboys was coming to a close. Winfrey had rebounded after being released by the Cleveland Browns after just one season because of multiple legal issues off the field. He was out of the NFL for almost two years, but when he arrived at training camp for the Cowboys, he had shined in a defensive tackle room in desperate need of some life. However, it was beginning to look like his strong preseason would just barely not be enough — at least to him. “He assumed he was being cut,” Schottenheimer said. “He walked in, sat down in my office. [Vice president of player personnel] Will McClay and I were in there. We played it up a bit. I was a good actor.” Schottenheimer opened his conversation with Winfrey with a negative tone, playing into the idea that he thought he was being cut. “These are hard days,” Schottenheimer told Winfrey. “And there are a lot of hard conversations that you have to have. But this is one that I’ve been looking forward to, because I’m telling you that you made the team.” Cowboys trade Asim Richards to Saints – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com The front office opted to get value for Asim Richards instead of outright releasing him. The flurry of NFL transactions ahead of Tuesday’s cutdown deadline are also aren’t simply about the daunting task of reducing the roster headcount from 90 to 53, and the Dallas Cowboys are making additional moves to try and give themselves ammunition — a decision tied to Asim Richards having been made. Richards will not be on the Cowboys’ roster in 2025, and he’s been be traded to the New Orleans Saints along with a 2028 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick, and the young offensive lineman will now be under the wing of Kellen Moore, whom the Cowboys know very well from his time in Dallas as a quarterback, quarterbacks’ coach and offensive coordinator prior to departing following the 2022 season. A fifth-round pick in 2023, Richards made his way to Dallas after a standout career for the University of North Carolina, one that saw him elevate himself as one of the top offensive tackles in the nation. His initial season in the NFL saw him get work on the offensive interior due to a rash of injuries amongst teammates, but the 24-year-old was ultimately moved back to tackle, where he spent a good bit of this year’s training camp in competition with players like Nate Thomas, Hakeem Adeniji and Ajani Cornelius. Ex-Cowboys running back says Panthers are ‘just as explosive’ as Dallas – Matt Connelly, PennLive.com Comparing the Cowboys to the Carolina Panthers is not what Dallas fans want to hear right now. First-year Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle played with some big-time playmakers during his time with the Cowboys, including CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Amari Cooper. The Panthers may not have as many big names as the Cowboys did during Dowdle’s five seasons there, but the former South Carolina star believes the Panthers are just as talented. “I mean, pretty much, talent wise, we’ve got it here, too,” Rico Dowdle recently said. “We’re just as explosive as… I was only in Dallas for five years. We’re just as explosive as them.” That is obviously a strong statement as the Panthers have had seven consecutive losing seasons, while the Cowboys finished 12-5 three straight years, before falling to 7-10 in 2024. With that said, the Panthers have upgraded their talent on offense in recent years. Dowdle topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career this past season, and the Panthers drafted receivers in the first round each of the past two years in Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan. There is reason for optimism in Carolina, even if most people don’t expect the Panthers to be as talented as the Cowboys. “We’ve got T Mac and Xavier and Hunter Renfrow, Adam Thielen, [David Moore]. We’re explosive,” Dowdle said. “And then we’ve got running backs, as well, that can go in.” Cowboys waive beloved gadget back, preseason star entering Year 3 – Josh Sanchez, Cowboys on SI The Deuce has been cut loose. The writing was on the wall for Dallas Cowboys running back Deuce Vaughn, but now the news is official. On Tuesday afternoon, the perennial preseason standout was waived by the team on its way down to the 53-man roster. Vaughn created one of the greatest moments in Cowboys NFL draft history when he learned he was drafted by the Cowboys with a phone call from his father, Chris, who is a scout for the team. The speepy and shifty running back was electric out of the backfield for the Cowboys during his three preseason stints, and quickly endeared the fans. Unfortunately, he is now on the outs after the team selected to new running backs, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, in the 2025 draft. Vaughn will now hit the waiver wire with less than four years of accrued NFL experience and could be an intriguing candidate for the team’s 16-man practice squad if he clears waivers. There was some hope that the running back could sneak onto the roster after the hiring of offensive line coach Conor Riley, who Vaughn played under at Kansas State, but it just wasn’t in the cards. 8 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys

Now that the 53-man roster has been settled, at least for the moment, we can start looking ahead to the first game of the season. The Dallas Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Sept. 4th, the opening game of the 2025 NFL season. There have been a lot of positives for […] Now that the 53-man roster has been settled, at least for the moment, we can start looking ahead to the first game of the season. The Dallas Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Sept. 4th, the opening game of the 2025 NFL season. There have been a lot of positives for the Cowboys offseason. The acquisition of George Pickens. A draft class that looks like it will contribute. The emergence of Brian Schottenheimer as a confident leader. The Cowboys were also much more active in filling out the roster this offseason, a welcomed change from the previous years dormant offseason. But with this being the Cowboys, Jerry Jones isn’t going to be able to get out of his own way. The situation with Micah Parsons is one of the bigger unforced errors a team can make, and we’re still not sure what the consequences will be. There are long-term ramifications here, but there is a very short-term issue that is straight ahead. Will Micah Parsons play against the Eagles? We don’t know how far Jerry or Parsons want to push this. Jerry could end it by paying up much like he did with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott last year. The caveat there is that those negotiations never turned as personal as these with Parsons have, and there was never a trade request made. Never a scrub of social media. This one feels a little different than other ones. So will Parsons sit out a game with a ‘back issue’ to make a point? It would cost him around $1.4 million, but Parsons seems like a principled kind of guy who might entertain the idea. Additionally, if he doesn’t practice this week but says he’ll play, is there anyway the Cowboys would do that? Jerry Jones has made this an idiotic situation, but here we are. Do you think Micah Parsons will play in the first game? Vote in the poll and then hit the comments. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. 31 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Commanders, WR Terry McLaurin reach 3-year deal – John Keim, ESPN worth up to $96M After a tireless offseason saga, an NFC East team signed their star player. The Commanders and wide receiver Terry McLaurin reached agreement Monday on a three-year contract extension worth up to $96 million that will end his hold-in and get him in uniform for […] Commanders, WR Terry McLaurin reach 3-year deal – John Keim, ESPN worth up to $96M After a tireless offseason saga, an NFC East team signed their star player. The Commanders and wide receiver Terry McLaurin reached agreement Monday on a three-year contract extension worth up to $96 million that will end his hold-in and get him in uniform for the regular-season opener against the Giants, agents Buddy Baker and Tony Bonagura told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. McLaurin receives a $30 million signing bonus in the deal, sources told ESPN. McLaurin and the Commanders’ front office had been at odds over his value since talks began early this offseason. By getting the deal done now, the Commanders will retain their most consistent offensive player since he arrived as a third-round pick in 2019. McLaurin, coming off his second Pro Bowl appearance, has surpassed 1,000 yards for five consecutive seasons. He had hoped that would result in a speedy extension, but that did not come, and McLaurin expressed deep frustration during a 30-minute news conference July 15. He did not report to camp a week later and was fined for missing the first four days — a total of $200,000. He already had been fined $104,768 for missing the mandatory three-day minicamp in June. But after reporting, McLaurin was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury the team said had occurred late in the season. He was able to participate in voluntary workouts in the spring before skipping the OTA practice and minicamp. He was activated from the PUP list Aug. 16. McLaurin requested a trade July 31, but that was not something Washington considered. By retaining McLaurin beyond this season, the Commanders give quarterback Jayden Daniels his favorite target when the season begins. The two players developed a strong rapport in camp last season, which carried into 2024, when McLaurin finished with 82 catches for 1,096 yards. His 13 touchdowns was one less than his tally over his previous three years combined. Eagles Cut Former First-Round Pick Just Months After Trading for Him – Ryan Phillips, Sports Illustrated Despite trading for him, Philadelphia cut one of their offensive lineman. The Philadelphia Eagles have made a surprising cut. Just months after acquiring Kenyon Green in a trade with the Houston Texans, Philadelphia has waived the former first-round pick. The Eagles landed Green and a fifth-round pick in exchange for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a sixth-rounder in March. The Texas A&M product was expected to compete for a backup guard spot, but wasn’t able to earn it. Houston selected Green with the No. 15 pick in the 2022 NFL draft and he never really made an impact in 27 career games, 23 of which he started. Green missed most of the 2023 season after suffering a shoulder injury in the team’s final preseason game. Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 38.6 for the 12 games he played during the 2024 campaign, among the worst in football. It was always going to be difficult for Green to breakthrough with the Eagles, who have one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. Their starting five of Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Lane Johnson is outstanding. The also added tackle Fred Johnson from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Green clearly has the size and some talent, it will be interesting to see if he’s added to a practice squad in the next few days. Giants announce 2025 uniform schedule & Legacy Games – Giants.com Dallas will see the same uniform combination from New York each time this season. The New York Giants revealed their uniform schedule for the upcoming 2025 season, which will feature two Legacy Games presented by Quest. The Legacy Games will take place on Nov. 2 vs San Francisco and Dec. 14 vs Washington at MetLife Stadium. The team will wear their classic 80s era blue uniform and rebrand the stadium to include their classic helmet design at midfield and vintage red end zones with “GIANTS” block lettering. After a one-year absence, the team will also bring back their “Vintage White” color rush uniforms for back-to-back games at Chicago (Week 10) and home against Green Bay (Week 11). The uniform includes the classic navy helmet with the underlined “GIANTS” wordmark on both sides. The Vintage White and Legacy uniforms are an homage to the 1980s, when the franchise won its first Super Bowl. The Vintage White jerseys and pants resurfaced in 2016 as part of the NFL’s Color Rush concept, which commemorated 50 years of games being broadcast in color. The white jersey features blue numbers with a red outline, just like the Giants wore on the road for two decades. In 2022, the Giants brought back the Legacy Blue. The classic uniform, which the team wore from 1980-99, starts at the top with the return of the navy helmet, providing a base for the white facemask, solid scarlet red stripe, classic numbers, side decals, and a raised wordmark – all reminiscent of the ‘80s and ‘90s style. Meanwhile, the red and blue trim on the jerseys and pants are all done in a color palette from that era. The Giants also accented the inside of the collar with the timeless words of late owner Wellington Mara: “Once a Giant, Always a Giant.” Outside of the four Vintage White and Legacy weeks, the Giants will wear their “NY” helmet with present-day blue jerseys and white pants for seven regular-season games, and their current white uniform for six games. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys News

The Dallas Cowboys have a 53-man roster. Keep in mind that this group is going to change over the coming days and that things may appear awkward in some senses. This is all a part of the standard process of getting players under the proper types of designations and ensuring that the overall team, which […] The Dallas Cowboys have a 53-man roster. Keep in mind that this group is going to change over the coming days and that things may appear awkward in some senses. This is all a part of the standard process of getting players under the proper types of designations and ensuring that the overall team, which will in that theoretical sense extend beyond 53 players, is exactly how the Cowboys want it. Here it is. Quarterback (2) Dak Prescott Joe Milton Running back (4) Javonte Williams Miles Sanders Jaydon Blue Phil Mafah Fullback (1) Hunter Luepke Wide Receiver (5) CeeDee Lamb George Pickens KaVontae Turpin Jalen Tolbert Ryan Flournoy Tight End (3) Jake Ferguson Luke Schoonmaker Brevyn Spann-Ford Offensive Line (9) Tyler Guyton Tyler Smith Cooper Beebe Tyler Booker Terence Steele Brock Hoffman T.J. Bass Nate Thomas Ajani Cornelius Defensive End (6) Micah Parsons Dante Fowler Marshawn Kneeland Sam Williams Donovan Ezeiruaku James Houston Defensive Tackle (5) Osa Odighizuwa Solomon Thomas Mazi Smith Jay Toia Perrion Winfrey Linebacker (5) Jack Sanborn Kenneth Murray Marist Liufau Damone Clark Shemar James Cornerback (6) Trevon Diggs DaRon Bland Kaiir Elam Caelen Carson Andrew Booth Zion Childress Safety (4) Donovan Wilson Malik Hooker Juanyeh Thomas Markquese Bell Specialists (3) Brandon Aubrey Bryan Anger Trent Sieg The Cowboys traded Asim Richards as they whittled down to this group which obviously opened up a spot. As noted they will also open up a few spots over the next few days with various moves, likely placing players on injured reserve. It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Phil Mafah and Caelen Carson are strong candidates for this. On the subject of injured reserve, you are not seeing Jonathan Mingo or Payton Turner listed here and that is because they have already been placed on IR. Teams are allowed to place two players there before roster cutdowns and maintain their eligibility to return. A reminder that all players on IR must miss at least four games before returning. Also of note, Josh Butler and DeMarvion Overshown are on the PUP list while Shavon Revel remains on NFI. There you have it. This is the group. What do we think? 39 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

After a competitive training camp in Oxnard, CA, the Dallas Cowboys are back in Texas. After concluding the preseason with a 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys have begun trimming their roster to 53 players for Week 1. Some cuts were announced yesterday, with notable players such as La’el Collins being released. Yet […] After a competitive training camp in Oxnard, CA, the Dallas Cowboys are back in Texas. After concluding the preseason with a 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys have begun trimming their roster to 53 players for Week 1. Some cuts were announced yesterday, with notable players such as La’el Collins being released. Yet another cut was made today that is sure to raise eyebrows at the least if not fists. Traeshon Holden showed a lot of promise in the summer and had several highlight moments during the open practices in California. Once he found his groove, Holden created a connection with quarterback Joe Milton and was showing a penchant for finding the end zone and making difficult catches. However, the success he had at practice was not consistent during games. Despite a highlight catch during the first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, Holden didn’t replicate the same playmaking over the next two games and was held without a catch against the Baltimore Ravens. For the preseason, Holden had four receptions for 62 yards. Some of that falls on Holden, but some falls on the Joe Milton-led offense not finding its stride in the passing game until the final game of the preseason. With Holden being waived, the hope is that he can somehow find his way back to the Cowboys on the practice squad, but he will have to make it through waivers first. Holden’s being subjected to waivers also raises the question of what other receivers made the cut, which will be determined later this afternoon. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Diggs on Micah mindset: ‘This is home, his family.’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com A fresh perspective on Micah Parsons from a key defensive player the Cowboys hope to have on the field against the Eagles. “Most definitely [he wants to stay here],” said Diggs. “Like I’ve heard him say before, he plays the game for […] Diggs on Micah mindset: ‘This is home, his family.’ – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com A fresh perspective on Micah Parsons from a key defensive player the Cowboys hope to have on the field against the Eagles. “Most definitely [he wants to stay here],” said Diggs. “Like I’ve heard him say before, he plays the game for us. We go out there —, blood, sweat and tears. We work out together. We train together. ”It’s really about him being with us, at the end of the day, so I know for sure he wants to be out there with us and helping this team win. This is his home. This is his family. “Why wouldn’t he want to be here?” It’s no secret the ongoing stalemate that exists between Parsons and the Cowboys has become contentious, to say the very least, but it hasn’t stopped the three-time Pro Bowler from remaining both present and fully engaged in practices and meetings, including being in the building for Monday’s practice as well — no doubt cheering on Diggs in his bid to be on the field as early as Week 1 in Philly. That said, it remains undetermined if Parsons will be on the field himself for Thursday Night Football, though head coach Brian Schottenheimer and All-Pro quarterback Dak Prescott both have confidence they’ll have The Lion in uniform and chasing after Jalen Hurts in a little more than one week from now. Jerry Jones’ negotiating process is coming under fire. “As players, after every game we don’t get a choice,” Revis said. “We’re put in front of the media and held accountable. Win or lose, missed tackle or game-saving play, it doesn’t matter — we have to answer. That’s part of the job. And that’s why it’s unacceptable to see our union leadership avoid that same responsibility now. “My question last week about a recent ESPN article remains unanswered, and now Jerry Jones feels comfortable publicly humiliating our union. I don’t know if filing a grievance is necessarily the right battle at this moment, since the fine to him under the CBA amounts to pennies. “But doing nothing is not an option. “At the very least, the NFLPA should be saying it does not condone what Jerry is doing, that all options are on the table, and reminding players that if ownership ever tries to deal with them directly while represented, they should contact their agent and the union immediately. “The bigger issue is respect. Jerry’s actions show that owners have no problem taking advantage of us, and when our union fails to respond, it sends the message that they’ll be able to do the same in the next CBA negotiations if the current leadership remains in place. NFL insider intimates Micah Parsons’ back tightness ‘situation’ will linger over Cowboys this season – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys This update comes after HC Brian Schottenheimer said the MRI on Parsons back came back “pretty clean”. From a technical standpoint, Parsons has been missing time with the back tightness in question. Schefter notes that an MRI came back on this that suggested all was well from a medical standpoint, but Schefter put it well in saying that it is a hard thing to argue with. If Parsons feels his back is tight, and so tight that he can’t play, that would lead to more tightness and tension between him and the organization. Consider that following last week’s preseason finale Trevon Diggs, who was recently activated off of the PUP list himself, was asked if he thinks Parsons is going to play in the season opener. Diggs noted that it all depends on his back. If it isn’t obvious this is where the next inflection point lies within this whole saga. The Cowboys could argue that Parsons’ back is fine from a medical perspective, but Micah could note that it still feels tight and that he is unable to play (as Schefter noted this is hard to prove one way or the other). First batch of Cowboys cuts include promising CB, twice-injured TE prospect – Todd Brock, The Cowboys Wire The first wave of Cowboys roster cuts came without much of a surprise, as the team is leaning into young talent all across the roster. The Cowboys have made the following moves as of Monday midday: OL La’el Collins (released) OL Nick Broeker (waived) DT Denzel Daxon (waived) WR Josh Kelly (waived) TE Tyler Neville (waived) CB Troy Pride (waived) TE John Stephens, Jr. (waived) CB Christian Matthew (waived, injury designation) As a veteran, Collins is free to sign with another team immediately. The others go to the waiver wire. Players who are not claimed off waivers can be re-signed to the Cowboys practice squad. Pride may be the biggest surprise here. The Notre Dame product, a fourth-round draft pick in 2020, had played quite well in camp and even snagged an interception in Friday’s preseason finale versus Atlanta. A relatively thin cornerbacks platoon might have been thought to work in his favor, but the removal of Trevon Diggs from the Physically Unable to Perform list may have been enough to render Pride expendable. Cowboys place beloved rookie RB on IR to start 2025 season with catch – Josh Sanchez, Sports Illustrated After a strong preseason, rookie RB Phil Mafah is part of the Cowboys plans in the backfield, just not to start the season. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Mafah will begin the season on the injured reserve list; however, it is with a designation to return. Mafah sat out of Monday’s practice as the team ramps up preparations for Week One against the Philadelphia Eagles. During