With the start of free agency, the new league year for the 2026 NFL Season is officially underway. The Dallas Cowboys have already made quite a few changes from his season ago and still have a lot of work to do to fill out their roster for the upcoming season.
In order to get a better understanding of the Cowboys roster and what positions may be up for grabs, we decided to take a look at who we believe to be roster locks right now. By doing this we get a better idea of what jobs are secured and which
ones are up for grabs. As things stand right now, we believe there are 30 roster locks.
Things can change quickly though on this projection, so be sure to stay informed on everything by following our free agency tracker.
Quarterback (2)
Dak Prescott, Joe Milton
Dak Prescott is the Cowboys QB1 and Joe Milton once again be his primary backup in 2026. Maybe the Cowboys bring in someone to challenge Milton for the QB2 job, but that seems unlikely.
Running back (3)
Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, Hunter Luepke
Javonte Williams is Dallas’ RB1 for the foreseeable future and Hunter Luepke is expected to be more involved according to Brian Schottenheimer. Blue sticks for now, but he could end up on the bubble later.
Wide Receiver (4)
CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin, Ryan Flournoy
In CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, the Cowboys have arguably the best WR duo in the league. Flournoy established himself as a good WR3 last year, and Turpin sticks for his special teams value and gadget play ability.
Tight end (2)
Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford
Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford are the only two tight ends we believe are roster locks right now. Luke Schoonmaker is in the final year of his rookie contract and could be a possible roster cut or trade candidate.
Offensive line (6)
Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, Tyler Booker, Terence Steele, Nate Thomas, TJ Bass
The Cowboys have their starting five in Guyton, Smith, Beebe, Booker, and Steele with solid backups Nate Thomas and T.J. Bass. Adding more depth would round out the group.
Edge (3)
Donovan Ezeiruaku, James Houston, Rashan Gary
The trade for Rashan Gary added some much-needed depth and veteran experience to the Cowboys pass rush, but more additions through free agency and the draft are needed to upgrade the position further.
Defensive tackle (4)
Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, Solomon Thomas
The Cowboys have a solid group before DTs in Williams, Clark, Odighizuwa, and Thomas. How they fit in Christian Parker scheme though is a bit of a mystery right now and further depth may be needed.
Linebacker (2)
DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James
With Marist Liufau’s move to OLB, the Cowboys are extremely thin at LB with just Overshown and James as expected roster locks. That’s pretty concerning considering Overshown’s well documented injury history.
Cornerback (2)
DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel
Despite their injury concerns, both Bland and Revel are still probably the only roster locks at CB. Dallas did tender ERFA Reddy Stewart, but even he’s not guaranteed a roster spot after free agency and the draft.
Safety (1)
Malik Hooker
Dallas restructured Malik Hooker’s contract so it looks like he will avoid being a salary-cap casualty. Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark are currently on the roster bubble, but could stick around due to their special teams value.
Special teams (3)
Brandon Aubrey, Bryan Anger, Trent Sieg
The only question here is whether or not another team would be willing to not only sign Aubrey to a long-term extension and surrender a second-round draft pick to secure his services. It seems unlikely, but still a possibility.
