NFL Roster Cuts: Cowboys nix promising WR, 3 former draft picks in first wave

NFL teams aren’t required to have their rosters down to 53 players until Tuesday afternoon, but the Cowboys are among the clubs getting a head start on the trimming process.

Fifteen hopefuls were cut by the Cowboys on Monday, including a few who had shown flashes of strong play during training camp and the preseason.

The following players- each of whom has fewer than four NFL seasons accrued- have been waived. Any of the other 31 teams may make a claim on any of them. Players who go unclaimed after 24 hours become free agents and are eligible to be signed by Dallas again, perhaps as members of the 17-man practice squad.

• WR Deontay Burnett
• OL Cohl Cabral
• DB Josh DeBerry
• LB Willie Harvey Jr.
• TE Alec Holler
• WR Cam Johnson
• LB Jason Johnson
• RB Nathaniel Peat
• DB Eric Scott Jr.

Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list is Scott, who was a sixth-round draft pick by the club last season. The club traded a fifth-round selection in the 2024 draft to acquire him out of Southern Mississippi last spring. He did not see the field as a rookie.

Harvey and Burnett were UFL pickups, each of whom made a handful of notable plays in the preseason.

Three players were waived with an injury designation. These individuals can still be picked up by another team, but if they go unclaimed, they technically revert back to the Cowboys on injured reserve. The player then either remains with the team or is released with an injury settlement.

• WR David Durden
• DE Viliami Fehoko
• DE Durrell Johnson

Fehoko was a fourth-round pick last year but did not play as a rookie. David Durden was notably featured as 2023’s “Prospect X,” labeled by The Athletic as the most overlooked player in his draft class.

An offer for Cowboys fans

For the best local news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to the Austin American-Statesman.

$1 for 6 months

Additionally, three players had their contracts terminated outright. Because they each have more than four NFL seasons accrued, these players were released rather than waived. As “vested veterans,” they become free agents immediately and can bypass the waiver wire to sign with any interested team.

• DT Albert Huggins
• WR Tyron Billy-Johnson
• LB Damien Wilson

The speedy Billy-Johnson was frequently mentioned by Cowboys coaches and teammates as a solid contributor, both as a pass-catcher and on special teams. Wilson was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Cowboys in 2015. He returned to Dallas in 2023 after two Super Bowl appearances (including one win) with the Chiefs and short stints with both Jacksonville and Carolina.

More roster moves will be coming in order to get the Cowboys’ regular-season roster down to 53 names by 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday.