Get a glimpse of the 2025-26 Dallas Cowboys roster
The NFL season is upon us. Here’s how the Dallas Cowboys roster stacks up, plus the key games Cowboys fans should circle on their calendar.
Are you ready for some football? The start of the NFL season is an exciting time of year in Texas, from the most diehard fans to the casual observer who can barely tell the difference between a touchdown and a safety. This year’s Dallas Cowboys roster has many returning pieces and several fresh faces who can make an impact.
There’s a lot to sort through, so we’ve got you covered with the highlights. Here’s a peek at the Dallas Cowboys roster, including significant pieces on offense, defense, and special teams.
Offensive standouts
Dak Prescott returns as the starting quarterback. The longtime veteran is entering his tenth year in the league. In 2023, he had a fantastic season, leading the NFL in completions and touchdowns while finishing second in MVP voting. 2024 was a more forgettable campaign; he had eight interceptions in eight games and was sacked 21 times. Midway through the year, he suffered a right hamstring avulsion injury, which ended his season. Cooper Rush, who backed up Prescott last year, has moved on to the Baltimore Ravens (and looked mighty impressive against the Cowboys during the preseason). In his place is Joe Milton III, a second-year player who appeared in one game last year for the New England Patriots.
Prescott (and perhaps Milton) will be throwing to a stacked group of receivers led by CeeDee Lamb. He finished in the top ten in both receptions and receiving yards last year and was named to his third-straight All-Pro team and fourth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. Joining him is newcomer George Pickens, who arrived from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. Pickens has had at least 800 receiving yards in all three of his NFL seasons, so he should be another nice target for Prescott. Jake Ferguson is also back as the starting tight end, and he had a solid rapport with Prescott before the quarterback got injured. Ferguson had a grand total of zero touchdowns last year, so there’s nowhere to go but up.
The backfield will look quite different this year, as none of the running backs were on the team last season. Javonte Williams looks to be the starter after four years with the Denver Broncos. He had a strong rookie season before tearing his ACL, LCL, and PLC in year two. He’s never quite bounced back into his rookie form, but he’ll have plenty of opportunities to do so in Dallas. Miles Sanders will also see some time on the field; Cowboys fans might remember him from his four seasons in Philadelphia. He most recently spent two years with the Carolina Panthers, and now returns to the NFC East. The Cowboys also used a fifth-round draft pick on Jaydon Blue, who attended the University of Texas.
Finally, the offensive line is anchored by three different Tylers: Tyler Smith (LG), Tyler Guyton (LT), and Tyler Booker (RG). That’s got to be a record. Center Cooper Beebe is also in the running for best name on the entire Dallas Cowboys roster.
Defensive stalwarts
The top defensive player on last year’s Dallas Cowboys roster is no longer on the team. Edge rusher Micah Parsons got traded to the Green Bay Packers a week before the season opener. Now, Dallas will look to fill a massive hole on the defensive line. Dante Fowler Jr. and Marshawn Kneeland will likely be the standouts, though second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku could make some big plays, too. For comparison, Parsons has recorded 52.5 sacks since entering the league in 2021. The other five pass rushers on the team have totaled 73 for their entire careers, though to be fair, one of them (Ezeiruaku) hasn’t yet played an NFL snap. Still, Parsons will be missed.
The linebacker corps is probably the weakest part of the Cowboys’ defense, with a handful of new players joining the roster. After three seasons with the Chicago Bears, Jack Sanborn will start at middle linebacker. Kenneth Murray Jr. is on his third NFL squad but could be among the team leaders in tackles. He’s posted over 100 tackles twice in his career and finished with 95 last season despite missing three games. Second-year weakside linebacker Marist Liufau will try to build on some promising moments from his rookie year.
Back in 2021, cornerback Trevon Diggs snagged an NFL-high 11 interceptions, including at least one interception in each of the season’s first six games. Since then, he’s only totaled six picks, and his past two seasons have been cut short by injury. He’s currently on the physically unable to perform list. If he’s still there by the time the season starts, he’ll miss the first four games of the year. Safety Malik Hooker had a down year last season, but was very solid the two years prior. He could be a good bounce-back candidate to watch in the secondary.
Special Teams stars
The Cowboys were in the bottom half of the NFL in scoring during the 2024 campaign. Yet kicker Brandon Aubrey was a bright spot, scoring 150 of the team’s 350 points. Heading into this year, he’s made 76 of 85 field goals (89.4%) in his career, including a 65-yarder last season. He’s also knocked in 79 of 82 extra point attempts. Aubrey looked good during preseason action, as well, going 5-for-5 on field goals and connecting on all six extra points.
KaVontae Turpin returns (pun absolutely intended) as the team’s main kick and punt returner. Last season, Turpin became the first player in Cowboys history with a receiving, kickoff, and punt return touchdown in the same season. He’ll look to improve even more this year.
Potential breakout players on the Dallas Cowboys roster
With 53 players on the Dallas Cowboys roster, there’s a ton of potential for a star to develop before our eyes. We could also see someone join the team via trade or free agency and then blossom. But for now, let’s focus on guys currently donning a Cowboys jersey.
Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert had an inconsistent season last year, finishing with under 25 receiving yards in eight games. But he also topped 80 yards three times and led the team in touchdowns, making him the second-highest scorer on the Dallas Cowboys roster. In the final game, Tolbert posted a season-high 98 yards. Expect him to have a larger role in the offense this season.
On the defensive side, Kaiir Elam is a new arrival from Buffalo. The former first-round pick didn’t live up to lofty expectations with the Bills, but, as is often the case in the NFL, a change of scenery could do him good. He’ll start the year as the primary corner opposite Trevon Diggs, with DaRon Bland lining up in the slot. Elam has looked impressive this offseason and hopes to carry it into the regular season. Maybe trading a buffalo for a star on his helmet is just what he needed.
Notable Dallas Cowboys games this season
With only 17 games in the regular season, you could argue that every game is important. But following the first week’s bitter loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, here are three more we’ve got circled on our calendar:
- Week 4 vs. Green Bay Packers: The Packers embarrassed the Cowboys the last time Dallas was in the playoffs. Revenge in a Week 4 game isn’t nearly as sweet, but it’s something. These two teams also have a common thread in that Mike McCarthy coached both of them, and there’s the new storyline of Micah Parsons returning to Dallas for the first time since getting traded. (Sunday, 9/28, 7:20 p.m., NBC)
- Week 13 vs. Kansas City Chiefs: In consecutive weeks, the Cowboys play the Eagles, the Chiefs (on Thanksgiving), and the Detroit Lions, who finished with the best record in the league last year. That’s a brutal stretch. For good measure, the Cowboys also get the Minnesota Vikings, another top team last season, in Week 15. This game will occur over three months after Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift, but we bet people will still be talking about it when this one kicks off. (Thursday, 11/27, 3:30 p.m., CBS)
- Week 17 at Washington Commanders: The Cowboys end the season with the New York Giants, but this game on Christmas Day could have huge playoff implications. Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels won Rookie of the Year last season. He was resting as the Commanders beat the Cowboys in the final game last year; backup quarterback Marcus Mariota completed a pass to Terry McLaurin with three seconds remaining. Perhaps the Cowboys can flip the script this year. (Thursday, 12/25, 12 p.m., Netflix)
Losing Parsons is a significant blow, but the Cowboys still have a lot of talent on the roster. If they can stay healthy—always a concern in the NFL—they should be in the playoff race throughout the season.
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