Dallas Cowboys Depth Chart
- NFC East
- Stadium
- AT&T Stadium
- Head Coach
- Mike McCarthy
- Offensive Coordinator
- Brian Schottenheimer
- Defensive Coordinator
- Mike Zimmer
- Special Teams Coach
- John Fassel
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
The Dallas Cowboys are re-signing running back Rico Dowdle to an undisclosed deal on Monday. With Tony Pollard moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, Dowdle is now No. 1 on the Cowboys' RB depth chart, for now. The 25-year-old former undrafted free agent out of South Carolina entered the league in 2020 with the Cowboys and has just 96 carries for 385 yards and two rushing touchdowns in his three NFL seasons, adding 17 receptions (22 targets) for 144 yards and two more touchdowns through the air. Eighty nine of his career carries came in 2023, when he rushed for 361 yards and two TDs in 16 regular-season contests. Depending on what Dallas does at the position in the upcoming NFL draft, Dowdle could see a substantial role increase in his fourth NFL campaign.
Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) has decided to medically retire, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The 2018 first-round pick by Dallas spent six seasons with the organization, racking up 469 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, 13 passes defended, and 25 run stuffs in 72 career games. He was named to the Pro Bowl and received All-Pro honors in his rookie season, but he battled injuries for the rest of his career. Vander Esch played in all of the team's games just twice in his six years in the NFL. In Week 5 of last season, he suffered a major neck injury, effectively ending his 2023 campaign. That appears to be the final straw for the 28-year-old as he heads into life after football.
The Dallas Cowboys converted a $5 million roster bonus due to quarterback Dak Prescott on Sunday into a signing bonus, creating $4 million in salary cap space for the 2024 season. The move reduces Prescott's salary cap number this year to $55.455 million, while two extra void years were added to his deal for cap purposes (void years now through 2028). It doesn't prevent the Cowboys and Prescott from further negotiating a long-term contract extension, but it gives the team some immediate cap relief. The 30-year-old made his third Pro Bowl in 2023 and had an excellent regular season, throwing for a league-high 36 touchdowns and 4,516 yards while completing a league-high 410 passes. Prescott isn't an elite fantasy QB because of his lack of rushing ability, but he's a fine consolation prize if you don't spend big money on the elite tier.
The Dallas Cowboys are releasing linebacker Leighton Vander Esch after six seasons with the organization, according to Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. Vander Esch racked up 469 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, 13 passes defended, and 25 run stuffs in 72 games after being selected by America's Team with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was named to the Pro Bowl and earned a second-team All-Pro selection in his rookie season, but he has struggled with injury issues since. Last year, Vander Esch played in just six games before suffering a season-ending neck injury. He will likely draw interest on the open market, but he'll probably be limited to a cheap, one-year contract.
The Dallas Cowboys are releasing veteran wide receiver Michael Gallup, according to Michael Gehlken on the Dallas Morning News. Gallup, a 2018 third-round pick, has struggled to produce since his 1,107-yard season in 2019. Since that year, the 28-year-old has not eclipsed 850 yards in a single season, and he's produced fewer than 500 yards in each of the last three campaigns. He will likely have a few interest suitors on the open market, but it'd be surprising if he becomes a No. 2 wide receiver with a new organization. Instead, he's probably headed for a WR3 or WR4 role in 2024, leaving him off the fantasy football radar in most formats.