The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. Having to trim their roster from 90 players to 53 before Tuesday's deadline, they were always going to part ways with players who would otherwise waltz onto other 53-man rosters around the league.
Some of the Cowboys' toughest cuts included running back Royce Freeman, wide receiver Jalen Cropper, linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. and undrafted rookie Julius Wood, who fell victim to Dallas' stacked safety room.
While Dallas was able to sign Cropper and Harvey to the practice squad, Freeman is still braving the unemployed waters. Wood, on the other hand, was claimed by the Titans, so the Cowboys let arguably their most promising undrafted player get away.
In terms of the 2024 draft class, Dallas bucked a long-standing trend. Each of their first six picks made the initial 53. Their seventh pick, offensive lineman Nathan Thomas, was placed on IR with a designation to return.
However, their eighth and final pick, DT Justin Rogers, did not make the team and is now gone for good after he was claimed on waivers.
Cowboys foolishly let 2024 seventh-round pick DT Justin Rogers get away during roster cuts
Cowboys fans were befuddled when Rogers failed to make the preliminary 53. Confusion quickly turned to sweating profusely after Rogers wasn't listed on the initial wave of practice squad signings. Before long, it was reported that the Auburn product signed to the Bengals practice squad.
Rogers is the first Cowboys draft pick to be waived before the season since 2019. It's shocking considering there's been a big emphasis in Dallas on keeping draft picks.
As far as late-round picks go, Rogers flashed more talent than most Cowboys' nose tackles in recent memory. That list includes 2022 fifth-round pick John Ridgeway, 2021 sixth-round pick Quinton Bohanna and 2020 third-round pick Neville Gallimore.
Rogers was the perfect player to stash on the practice squad and develop under veterans Linval Joseph and Jordan Phillips. He needs to work on shedding blocks, but as far as plugging drains and muddying the A-gaps to help slow the run, the 6-3, 322-pound lineman could have stepped into the NT rotation as soon as next season. He even deflected a pass in preseason that got intercepted.
Like Julius Wood, losing Rogers isn't the end of the world in the grand scheme. However, the fact Rogers showed promise that has a murky outlook beyond this season (Joseph and Phillips are free agents) makes his departure look extremely boneheaded.
