The Dallas Cowboys may not have as talented a roster as they did in 2021, but it certainly is interesting. During the final cutdowns to get to the regular season, the team said goodbye to all of their quarterbacks not named Dak Prescott. They even said goodbye to their three of their four special teamers, only keeping punter Bryan Anger. But they won’t be shorthanded for Sunday night’s opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Cowboys signed back long snapper Jake McQuaide and core guy C.J. Goodwin after moving two players to the IR. They also brought back two quarterbacks and their kicker to the practice squad, planning on doing what they did on Saturday, elevating them to the 53-man roster ahead of the game. Brett Maher and Cooper Rush will be dressed for the game as the Cowboys announce a 55-man roster ahead of choosing their inactives Sunday evening.
In recent years, the NFL has allowed teams to elevate up to two players from the practice squad each week without officially naming them to the 53-man roster. There is a maximum of three elevations per player, per season. Eventually the Cowboys will need to name the players to the full roster, or cycle in new talent. The Cowboys are just taking advantage of the rules afforded them. Here’s a look at the full roster for Week 1.