While teams like the Kansas City Chiefs have stacked up multiple injuries across offense and defense and are scrambling to finalize their roster before the August 30 cut-off, the Dallas Cowboys have the opposite problem. The Cowboys are dealing with an aspirational depth problem, with too much available talent on the roster that is giving head coach Brian Schottenheimer a headache about who to leave out before the regular season. Every impressive snap is making one decision harder than the last.
Schottenheimer believes they have considerably more quality throughout the roster than they did at this point last year, and their performance is becoming difficult to ignore. Dallas has gone 2-0 in the preseason while allowing only 20 points across those two games. After a dominant 34-13 win against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Schottenheimer spoke about their “competitive roster” and its implications on the inevitable cuts.
“We can all do the assignment and put the two depth charts down next to each other, last year this time and today this time. And taking nothing away from our football team last year, we’re more talented on paper and really excited about the defense and the way they’re playing,” Schottenheimer said in a press conference (via Dallas Cowboys’ YouTube channel). “And you sit 29 guys, and you’re still able to do what we’re able to do. You’re getting those guys invaluable reps to help us make these decisions. It will be very tough decisions.”
Dallas struggled badly on defense last season, allowing a league-high 511 points and ranking 30th of 32 in overall defense. That made their improvement on that side of the ball one of the biggest priorities entering the 2026 season. Now, the early preseason numbers provide some reason for optimism.
But to ease the tough roster decisions a bit, Schottenheimer made preseason Game 2 against the Arizona Cardinals a live tryout. He sat around 29 players, including Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, Caleb Downs, Von Miller, Rashan Gary, and Quinnen Williams.
“This group of guys, we sat, I think, 29 guys, weren’t dressed tonight. These guys that played were playing for something,” Schottenheimer explained. “They want to be part of this family.”
The Cowboys yielded 325 total yards, limiting the Cardinals to four-of-ten conversions on third down while also holding them to one touchdown. The team produced 413 total yards and averaged 7.1 yards per play in a 34-13 glorious win. This becomes intriguing considering the number of regular contributors who were unavailable. Instead of collapsing without its key players, Dallas continues to operate effectively.
And on any given day, that is a problem that Schottenheimer will yearn for.
Schottenheimer Reveals Key Criteria to Finalize Cowboys’ 53-man Roster
Every preseason rep has become an evaluation for Brian Schottenheimer and his staff about which players can be relied on in cases of injuries, fatigue, or any other scenarios that test the roster during the regular season. Their depth is their biggest edge over rivals, giving them more flexibility, especially if the defense continues to improve. Players competing for roster spots are not just filling practice reps; they are also creating pressure on veteran players to maintain their positions.
When asked how players on the bubble will be evaluated, Schottenheimer had a clear response.
“The easy answer is special teams,” the Cowboys coach said. “When you get into roster spot 45 through 53, those are usually guys that are not starters or premium players that they play every snap or the majority of snaps, so you have to find guys that have the versatility to play special teams.”
But irrespective of position, he was clear on one thing: he expects the intra-team competition to rise.
“No one’s going to get complacent because we’re not going to let them, because this is a talented roster, and it’s going to be some really tight position battles as we get closer to final cutdowns,” Schottenheimer added.
The Cowboys have shown encouraging signs on offense as well. They committed only four penalties for 20 yards against Arizona, compared with eight penalties for 63 yards by the Cardinals.
More importantly, he believes his players are continuing to improve rather than just being active as the evaluation process continues. Now, the challenge that stands before the Schottenheimer is to turn that competition into the right 53-man roster for their regular-season opener on September 13 against the New York Giants. Before that, he will get one final opportunity to see the players on the bubble showcase their skills in the final preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.