When roster cuts arrive just before the start of the season, the Dallas Cowboys will be forced to release players they'd like to keep on their team. While there will be the camp bodies the Cowboys don't mind losing, there are also players on the roster bubble right now fighting for a job. That includes players who were on the active roster last year, but are in danger of missing out this season. That's the nature of the NFL, as there are notable players each year that teams release.
The Cowboys will try to trade these players before cutting them, but more often than not, the players are simply cut. This list only focuses only on the more notable players, which means we're ignoring the undrafted free agents or other players (like Leon McFadden) who don't move the needle enough. With that in mind, here are three notable players the Cowboys could cut before the season.
TE James Hanna / Geoff Swaim
I'm cheating to start here by merging two players. Jason Witten isn't going anywhere and if Rico Gathers continues to make plays in the preseason, the Cowboys won't want to risk trying to sneak Gathers on the practice squad. If that does end up being the case, are the Cowboys going to carry four tight ends with WRs like Andy Jones already pushing for a roster spot? Maybe, maybe not, but it puts James Hanna and/or Geoff Swaim on the roster bubble. The Cowboys gave Hanna a a three-year, $8.25 million deal before last year with the hope he'd serve as the team's No. 2 TE. Instead, he was hurt all season and Geoff Swaim took control of that role. Cutting Hanna would save the Cowboys $1.75 million (and even more in 2018), but he might be a better player than Swaim. The Cowboys could try to trade one of them as well, which might make the cheaper Swaim more appealing.
RB Alfred Morris
Morris' roster spot might be tied to Ezekiel Elliott. If he avoids a suspension, Morris' time might be up. If Elliott misses several games, the chances of Morris making the roster go up. Morris is not the number two RB, as that's still Darren McFadden. So that leaves Morris battling for the No. 3 RB role with Rod Smith (and to a lesser extent, Ronnie Hillman). Morris is probably the better runner, but Smith is a better pass-catcher and can actually help on special teams. That makes him more valuable in the No. 3 role, especially if the Cowboys have Elliott for all 16 games. Morris also carries a $2.1 million cap hit this year, with over $1.67 million of that getting saved via a cut. The Cowboys will try to trade Morris as well, if they can find a taker. That's why they have and will continue to showcase him in the preseason.
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LB Kyle Wilber
Every year it seems like Wilber finds himself on the roster bubble. He's always hung around, but he'll have another tough battle this year. If Jaylon Smith is healthy (he should be), the Cowboys have a LB corps that consists of Sean Lee, Smith, recent re-signing Justin Durant, Anthony Hitchens and possibly Damien Wilson. That's five players already, meaning Wilber will likely only get on the field for special teams. He's good in that role, but the Cowboys can save $1.25 million in cap if they cut him. If an undrafted free agent, perhaps someone like Lucas Wacha, Joseph Jones or a cheaper guy like John Lotulelei proves Wilber can be replaced, the Cowboys could cut ties.
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