FRISCO, TX — The work continued on Tuesday as the Dallas Cowboys, like the other 31 NFL teams, took an ax to its 90-man roster with the goal of chopping it down to only 53 players. The subsequent wave of cuts created a short stay, or so it might seem, for Carl Lawson; and the tight ends room is saying goodbye to Peyton Hendershot — amongst other moves.
The Cowboys also cut four running backs, including Malik Davis and Royce Freeman. By also waiving Nathaniel Peat and Snoop Connor, it leaves three running backs still on the roster in Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn.
All four of the released running backs could return to the practice squad if they clear waivers. That might've also been true for Hendershot if formally waived, but the Cowboys struck a last-minute deal with the Kansas City Chiefs to send them the tight end in exchange for a late-round conditional pick.
The third-year talent began his career in North Texas as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana in 2022, but injuries stunted his development and cleared a path for others such as former second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker and John Stephens Jr.; and rookie undrafted tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford began to flash later in training camp as a high-priority grab for the Cowboys this past spring.
For Lawson, it's a different story, transactionally, seeing as he's a vested veteran who is not subject to waivers (minimum of four accrued seasons). He's set to again be a free agent after signing with the Cowboys roughly one week prior, and can immediately opt to join a different club. There was no guaranteed money involved in the initial signing, so there is no financial penalty for the Cowboys to make this move.
Lawson will have the option of joining the practice squad in Dallas, where he would have a chance to be elevated to the active roster, and that is also true of Kemon Hall, assuming he goes unclaimed. The talented young corner was claimed early in camp off of waivers from the San Francisco 49ers and went on to deliver a pick-six in the second preseason outing.
It's clear there is talent in Hall, who also once picked off the grandson of owner and general manager Jerry Jones in college.
The NFL will allow teams to begin building their 16-man practice squad on Wednesday, August 28 at noon ET but, for the Cowboys, Denzel Daxon will likely receive an IPP exemption to become their 17th man on that unit.
Other moves made on Tuesday include the expected placement of All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland and swing tackle Chuma Edoga to injured reserve with a foot and toe injury, respectively, though the 2024 amendment to IR rules allows both to be designated for return after a minimum of four games missed.
This means the Cowboys will not have to carry either of them on the active roster for one day to avoid losing them for the entire season, as was the case prior to the amendment being ratified this year. They will also avoid carrying Al-Quadin Muhammad on the active roster until after Week 1, as the veteran pass rusher is still required to serve a suspension for one final game of his initial six-game penalty handed down by the league in 2023.
Below is the list of the final (so to speak) completed transactions to get the Cowboys to a 53-man roster:
WAIVED
Ball, Josh (T - Marshall)
Butler, Josh (DB - Michigan State)
Conner, Snoop (RB - Mississippi)
Cropper, Jalen (WR - Fresno State)
Davis, Malik (RB - Florida)
Daxon, Denzel (DT - Illinois)
Fant, Princeton (TE - Tennessee)
Hall, Kemon (DB - North Texas)
Harmon, Kelvin (WR - North Carolina State)
Johnson, Emany (DB - Nevada)
McMath, Racey (WR - Louisiana State)
Mogensen, Brock (LB - South Dakota)
Rogers, Justin (DT - Auburn)
Wood, Julius (DB - East Carolina)
Freeman, Royce (RB - Oregon)
Harris, Darius (LB - Middle Tennessee)
Lawson, Carl (DE - Auburn)
Shepley, Dakoda (C - British Columbia, Can.)
Vigil, Nick (LB - Utah State)
TRADED
Hendershot, Peyton (TE - Indiana)
RESERVE/INJURED
Thomas, Nathan (T - Louisiana-Lafatte)
RESERVE/INJURED - Designated for Return
Bland, DaRon (DB - Fresno State)
RESERVE/COMMISIONER EXEMPT
Lamb, CeeDee (WR - Oklahoma)
SIGNED
Joseph, Linval (NT - East Carolina)
