NFL practice squad rules and what they mean for the Cowboys

The Cowboys use their practice squad to their advantage, so here’s an explainer of how things work in the modern NFL. | From @ReidDHanson

So, your most beloved NFL team just cut your own personnel favorite fringe player. What will it take for that player to still stick around Dallas? What must the Cowboys do to fill out their practice squad with the best and brightest young athletes?

The answers all lie within.

As the clock ticked 4 P.M. on the eastern seaboard, the Cowboys made official their first 53-man roster, per league requirements. Tough decisions were made, and good players were cut loose as the strategy game known as cut-day unfolded.

As with previous seasons, the 2023 Cowboys made some interesting moves. In this case, they cut their only long snapper, Trent Sieg, as well as their long-time special teams ace, C.J. Goodwin. As vested veterans, both players are expected to re-join the regular roster once Dallas bumps the injured Nahshon Wright and Matt Waletzko to IR.

In order to return from IR a player must first be on the regular roster for at least a day. Temporarily giving Wright and Waletzko a spot allows Dallas to bring them back, unlike Josh Ball who was placed on IR before being awarded a roster spot, thus ending his season.

This massaging of the roster is one of many changes Cowboys fans can expect between cut-down day and kickoff in Week 1.