Dallas Cowboys Practice Squad Prediction Includes Surprise Outside Addition

On Sunday, rosters were trimmed to 53 players. For the Dallas Cowboys, that included making one shocking cut as they said goodbye to Jaydon Blue, who was one of their more exciting draft picks in 2025.

Blue is among the many players who are subject to waivers and can be claimed by any team ahead of the 1:00 p.m. EST deadline. Once waivers are awarded, teams will be free to sign any remaining players to their practice squads.

16 players can be signed to a team's squad, although they can increase that number to 17 if a member of the NFL's International Pathway Program is added. The rules for the squad are pretty simple as teams need to keep 10 players who are either rookies or second-year players. That leaves them with six spots that have no restrictions.

That being the case, here's a look at which players could wind up being signed by the Cowboys to their 2026 practice squad.

Dallas Cowboys predicted practice squad

Dallas Cowboys running back Israel Abanikanda runs against the New Orleans Saints. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Phil Mafah, RB
Israel Abanikanda, RB
Anthony Smith, WR
Jordan Hudson, WR
Marcellus Johnson, OT
Shiyazh Pete, OT
Evan Neal, OT/G
Nick Leverett, IOL
Michael Trigg, TE
Tommy Dunn, DT
Dayo Odeleye, DT (International Pathway Player)
Jay Toia, DT
Curtis Robinson, LB
Justin Barron, LB
Reddy Steward, CB
Zion Childress, S
Julius Wood, S

Notable absences from predicted practice squad

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sam Williams looks on before the game between the Cowboys and the Saints. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest name missing from this prediction is easily Blue. The second-year running back failed to make the roster, but his speed and talent as a pass-catcher make him an intriguing option for the Cowboys practice squad. The problem is that other teams will be interested in him for the same reason. That could lead to Blue being claimed, but the Cowboys are still able to bring back two promising running backs in Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda.

Sam Williams is another big name that was released by Dallas, but despite being a former second-round pick, he's not included in this prediction. At this point, Williams would be best served to look for a fresh start elsewhere, and he's flashed enough potential to earn that, even if he has to begin on another team's practice squad.

Surprising outside addition

New York Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

Dallas loved reclamation projects and one became available on Sunday when the New York Giants released the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Evan Neal. The Cowboys were big fans of Neal during the pre-draft process, but never had a chance at selecting the Alabama product.

Neal never lived up to expectations and even a shift inside to guard couldn't save him in New York. That said, he could find a home with the Cowboys, where Klayton Adams is known for helping offensive linemen reach their potential. Neal might not ever develop into a starter, but his talent is worth kicking the tires on, making him a surprise addition to our predicted practice squad.

Breaking down the top players on predicted practice squad

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Anthony Smith runs against the New Orleans Saints. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mafah and Abanikanda are both promising running backs, who could be brought up in a pinch. The Cowboys could look for outside help to add another back to their active roster, but even doing so shouldn't prevent these two from being added.

At receiver, seventh-round pick Anthony Smith flashed potential as did UDFA Jordan Hudson. Both were beaten out by preseason star Camden Brown, but should be brought back. With Hudson, however, there's a chance he could return to college, which is a shocking revelation in itself, but still a reality in today's NCAA.

Shiyazh Pete should be brought back simply for his post-game speech skills, but is a solid developmental prospect. Marcellus Johnson is also worth developing on the edge while Nick Leverett is capable of playing guard and center and was a surprising cut.

On the defensive line, they can use Jay Toia as potential nose tackle depth while Tommy Dunn proved to be a promising UDFA. Dayo Odeleye is also retained but won't count against their 16-man limit since he qualifies as an International Pathway player. At linebacker, they have Curtis Robinson who is a special teams standout whereas Justin Barron has talent as a coverage linebacker.

In the secondary, Dallas brings back Julius Wood who was a star during the preseason. Zion Childress is another name to watch since he can play safety as well as nickel. There's also Reddy Steward, who Cowboys On SI writer Mike Moraitis said was among their biggest 53-man roster snubs. He was the most consistent cornerback in 2025, but still didn't do enough to lock up a spot. That said, he would be a viable emergency option and should be retained.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Reddy Steward celebrates after sacking Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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