Dallas Cowboys roster cuts tracker 2025: Team kicks off path to 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 of the regular season (Update: Cuts done)

Cowboys’ roster cuts are underway.

Mauricio Rodriguez — Dallas Cowboys News Writer
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Dallas Cowboys guard La'el Collins (72) spikes the football after a touchdown during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium.
Dallas Cowboys roster cuts tracker 2025: Team kicks off path to 53-man roster ahead of Week 1 of the regular season Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

UPDATE: The Cowboys’ initial 53-man roster is set.

The Dallas Cowboys are officially underway with roster cuts, having made the first move on Sunday.

The Cowboys will be trimming down the roster from 91 players to 53 ahead of Tuesday’s cutdown day, when teams must be at the key number by 4:00 p.m. ET.

We’re keeping tabs of the cuts and other moves made by the Cowboys ahead of the deadline. If you’re confused by any terminology (like waived vs. released), we’ve got you covered with a glossary at the bottom of the article. Let’s dive in.

LAST UPDATED: Aug. 26 at 4:10 P.M. ET

Trades

  • OL Asim Richards was traded to the New Orleans Saints.

Cowboys roster cuts heading into Week 1 of the 2025 regular season

  • OT La’el Collins, released (via Todd Archer)
  • CB Christian Matthew, waived/injured (via Todd Archer)
  • OL Nick Broeker, waived (via Todd Archer)
  • WR Josh Kelly, waived (via Todd Archer)
  • TE John Stephens Jr., waived (via Todd Archer)
  • TE Tyler Neville, waived (via Todd Archer)
  • CB Troy Pride, waived (via Todd Archer)
  • DT Denzel Daxon, waived (via Todd Archer)
  • WR Traeshon Holden, waived (via Jordan Schultz)
  • TE Rivaldo Fairweather, waived (via Matt Zenitz)
  • OL Saahdiq Charles, released (via Todd Archer)
  • RB Deuce Vaughn, waived (via Calvin Watkins)
  • WR Jalen Brooks, waived (via Tom Pelissero)
  • CB Israel Mukuamu, released (via Todd Archer)
  • CB Mike Smith, waived (via Nick Harris)
  • S Alijah Clark, waived (via Joe Hoyt)
  • TE Princeton Fant, waived (via Joe Hoyt)
  • OL Hakeem Adeniji, released
  • DT Earnest Brown IV, released
  • OT Geron Christian, released
  • CB C.J. Goodwin, released
  • QB Will Grier, released
  • CB Kemon Hall, released
  • LB Darius Harris, released
  • LB Buddy Johnson, released
  • CB Michael Ojemudia, released
  • CB Robert Rochelle, released
  • DT Tommy Akingbesote, waived
  • LB Justin Barron, waived
  • RB Malik Davis, waived
  • DE Tyrus Wheat, waived

We will update this article as more information comes in.

Players Cowboys placed on injured reserve, PUP:

*Not designated to return unless noted otherwise. 

2025 NFL roster cuts cheat sheet: What does every term mean?

Rosters must be reduced to 53 players virtually all at once. The team has several different transactions they can use to make that happen. Here are the terms you need to familiarize yourself with:

  • Released: When a vested veteran (those who have accrued four seasons in the NFL) is cut from a team. These players are not required to pass through waivers and can immediately become unrestricted free agents. 
  • Waived: Players who have not accrued four seasons in the NFL are waived instead of being released. 31 NFL teams will have a chance to claim waived players on their 53-man roster by 12:00 p.m. ET on August 28. If players are not claimed on waivers, they become unrestricted free agents. Waiver priority this time of year is determined by team records from the previous season. 
  • Waived/injured: If these players clear waivers they will revert to the Cowboys’ injured reserve list. They can opt to spend the season in Dallas on IR or reach an injury settlement with the team.
  • Injured reserve: Thanks to a recent NFL rule amendment, two players can be placed on IR on the day of final cuts (Tuesday) and be designated to return. Teams still have the option to carry injured players on the 53-man roster to place them on IR later. 
  • Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list: Players on the Active/PUP list can be placed on the Reserve/PUP list in a move to get the roster down to 53 players. Players who are moved to the Reserve/PUP list do not count against the 53-man roster. They can attend team meetings, and use team facilities for rehab, but are not allowed to practice for four weeks. After four weeks, another 21-day window opens up, where the player can practice and be activated. If they’re not activated in those 21 days, they must be placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
  • Reserve/Non-football injury/illness (NFI) lists: Players placed on either Reserve/NFI lists have to go through the same process as players on the Reserve/PUP list. They do not count toward the 53-man roster. They can go to team meetings and use facilities for rehab, but they’re not allowed to participate in practice for four weeks. After that, a four-week period opens where they can return to practice and the team can choose to activate the player. If the player isn’t activated at the end of the second four-week period, they’ll remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season. The big difference between the NFI and PUP lists is that teams can withhold a portion of a player’s salary if they’re placed on the NFI lists.
  • Reserve/Suspended list: Players who are placed on the Reserve/Suspended list have to serve out an NFL suspension. Players on this list do not count toward 53-man roster limits and are not paid their base salary. 
  • Reserve/Did Not Report list: Players who are placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list have left their team. CeeDee Lamb is on such list amid his contract holdout. 
  • Reserve/Retired list: Players who are placed on this list have retired from the NFL.

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