Dallas Cowboys cut former first-round draft pick amid weekend slew of roster moves

Only days into training camp, the Dallas Cowboys got busy with a slew of roster moves over the weekend, including a couple of additions at wide receiver and a noteworthy cut of a former first-round draft pick.

Cowboys release CB Gareon Conley

In a somewhat surprising move, the Cowboys announced they released cornerback Gareon Conley, one of the two UFL bets they made this offseason. Conley, a former first-round NFL Draft pick in 2017, was hoping for a comeback to the league after playing his last NFL game in 2019 before a scary season-ending injury.

With unproven talent at cornerback, it seemed like Conley had a legit chance of making the 53-man roster. However, ESPN's Todd Archer reported it was the 29-year-old Conley who informed the Cowboys he intended to retire.

Linebacker Willie Harvey Jr., the other player signed out of the UFL , remains in the roster and fighting for one of the bottom spots on the depth chart.

Cowboys sign a couple of wide receivers

The Cowboys also announced they're adding depth to the wide receiver unit by making  the following signings:

• WR Deontay Burnett
• WR Kelvin Harmon

At 26 years old, Burnett is already a professional journeyman, having brief stints with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles. He also played in the XFL and UFL, and spent the 2024 season with the Arlington Renegades, where he registered 306 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Harmon, also 26, will join the Cowboys after playing with the UFL DC Defenders earlier in the year. He's a former sixth-round draft pick from Washington (2019), where he appeared in all 16 games as a rookie.

Both additions face an uphill battle to make the roster and will have to shock the coaching staff to stand out in a wide receiver room with very solid depth.

The Cowboys didn't have to make any corresponding moves as they already had open roster spots to begin training camp.

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