The Dallas Cowboys are boasting a 2-2 record as they head into their Week 5 matchup against the expectation-exceeding Pittsburgh Steelers. FanDuel Sportsbook is currently projecting the Cowboys to be 1.5-point underdogs in the Steel City, meaning they need everyone to do their part to achieve victory.
It isn’t a secret that several Cowboys on both sides of the ball aren’t playing up to their potential. If they can’t get back on track and help the team win football games, management and the coaching staff might decide that certain players have outstayed their welcome.
With that in mind, here are four Cowboys who could be cut by the end of October.
1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB
The Cowboys’ reunion with Ezekiel Elliott was one of the team’s biggest offseason stories, which is saying a lot. While some fans were happy to see Elliott returning to Dallas, others were frustrated that the Cowboys opted to reunite with the declining rusher rather than target big-name running backs like Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley.
Fast forward to the beginning of October when it’s clear that the Elliott experiment has been a complete bust. The former Ohio State RB is currently in the middle of his worst performance to date as he’s registered just 81 rushing yards and one touchdown on 24 carries. His 36 receiving yards on six catches also show that he isn’t making an impact on the passing game, either.
Making matters worse is that Elliott hasn’t even rushed for 20 yards since Week 1. He also went from taking 32 offensive snaps during the season opener to just 10 in Week 4 as Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn continue to earn more opportunities over them.
Assuming this trend continues, Elliott won’t be around for much longer. While he holds a special place in Dallas fans’ hearts, it’s hard to justify his roster spot based on his current production levels.
The Cowboys can also save just over $1.6 million by cutting Elliott, which are funds that can be used to address other positional needs or even pull off a big trade. Either way, the clock is ticking.
2. Trey Lance, QB
The Cowboys acquired quarterback Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers back in August 2023. Even though the former third-overall pick didn’t play a single snap with the franchise last season, that didn’t stop owner/general manager Jerry Jones from keeping him around for another season.
Expectations were low for Lance this offseason, making it easy for him to exceed them during the preseason. The former North Dakota State QB led the NFL exhibition slate in both passing and rushing yards, indicating that he might be ready to reach the next level.
With Prescott’s future in Dallas up in the air, many people thought that it was finally time to promote Lance to the QB2 role. Instead, that hasn’t been the case. Cooper Rush is still Prescott’s primary backup through four weeks while Lance is still stuck as the emergency signal-caller.
If the Cowboys viewed Lance as a viable QB option, chances are he’d already be seeing bigger opportunities — especially since he’s a pending free agent. But that isn’t the case and it’s hard to see his situation changing unless there’s an injury.
Assuming the Cowboys want to make a trade deadline smash, cutting Lance would help a lot. Dallas would save $5.3 million by ridding themselves of a contract that they likely never should’ve kept in the first place. Besides, Prescott and Rush have proven that they can hold down the QB room without him.
3. Jalen Brooks, WR
If the Cowboys are hoping to bolster their WR room this month, they may have to consider moving a wideout to create roster space. If that’s the case, Jalen Brooks could be playing with the Cowboys on borrowed time.
A former 2023 seventh-round selection, Brooks has been largely invisible throughout the early part of the 2024 campaign. While the ex-South Carolina WR has already seen more targets (7) than he did as a rookie (6) in three fewer games, he’s only caught three of those opportunities (42.9%) for 52 receiving yards.
Brooks spends most of his time on special teams, however, it’d be nice if he took advantage of his limited offensive opportunities. As a result, his snap share is plummeting. He played a season-low eight offensive snaps in Week 4 and wasn’t targeted a single time after averaging 2.3 targets in the three previous games.
At the end of the day, Brooks is struggling to look like an NFL receiver and the writing appears to be on the wall. Unless he showcases a complete turnaround in the coming days, there’s a decent chance he won’t finish the month in Dallas.
4. Linval Joseph, DT
The Cowboys signed several veteran defenders to cheap one-year deals this offseason, including Linval Joseph. The former two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle has been a serviceable contributor throughout his career and hopeful Dallas fans wanted that trend to continue in the Lone Star State.
We’re now four games into the new season and Joseph looks like one of the worst DTs in the league. The ex-East Carolina product only has one solo tackle to begin the year and is currently Pro Football Focus‘ worst-rated interior defender with an overall defense grade of 29.4. His 28.2 run defense grade (2nd-worst) also highlights that he’s incapable of stuffing gaps.
The Cowboys’ defense certainly doesn’t miss Joseph when he’s on the sidelines, meaning it might be time to start questioning his roster spot. Having veteran players is important when building a roster, however, little indicates that Joseph is making an impact on or away from the gridiron.
Given his current production (or lack thereof), the Cowboys are better off cutting Joseph before replacing him through free agency, a trade, or the practice squad.