Sept. 8
9:12 a.m. - After the training camp George Pickens just had out in California, it's hard not to be excited about what the wide receiver is going to do in 2026.
Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones feels the same way, as he expressed those thoughts on his weekly interview Tuesday on 105.3 "The Fan" in Dallas.
"George has had a top camp. He's been everything we've asked him to be," Jones said. "I'm excited about what he brings to the table for us, not only for the early part of the first game, but I'm excited what he's got a chance to do for us this year and coming years. I emphasize that 鈥� coming years."
Jones knows the Cowboys can't negotiate a new contract for Pickens until the end of the season. The star receiver will play on the franchise tag at $27.1 million, but it looking to improve on a career season in 2025, in which he ranked third in the NFL with 1,429 receiving yards.
------------------
9:04 a.m. -聽Losing an All-Pro player for the first month is not an ideal way to start the season. But Jerry Jones explained the Tyler Smith thumb injury and why now is the right time for the surgery.
"He really exasperated that injury that he came to California with," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "It was more obvious that we needed that internal fixation. We all thought he could work through it. He's probably made that injury to where it's the point it needs to be fixed long-haul."
Smith will undergo surgery on Tuesday and will be placed on IR-designated to return. That will keep him off the roster for at least four weeks. He could be eligible to return against the Bucs on Oct. 8 in Week 5.
---------------
Sept. 7
3:20 p.m. --聽Cowboys defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard, who had been dealing with an injury for the majority of training camp, returned to practice on Monday.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said that Bullard "did good" in practice and has been "kicking ass in rehab." Could he play in Dallas' season opener on Sunday night agianst the Giants?
"I think so, based on today," Schottenheimer said. "We'll see if he has any pain or anything tomorrow, but when I talked to him at the end of practice, he felt really, really good."
Sept. 2
3:50 p.m. --聽Cowboys OLB Von Miller said on his podcast, Free Range with Von Miller, that he's "90% sure" he'll wear the number 40 for Dallas this season.
Miller said on the podcast that he's been negotiating with Cowboys RB Hunter Luepke, who is also currently wearing #40, and believes the two have come close to an agreement. Miller initially offered Luepke free chicken for life from his regenerative organic, pasture-raised poultry production company, and Luepke countered with getting 2% equity in the company.
"I was able to work it out," Miller said. "Don't want to disclose what I was able to do, but we were able to work it out and I'm 90% sure that I'll be number 40. He's been great with that whole process, we talked about so many different things."
Aug. 31
As it turns out, the Cowboys No. 3 running back wasn't on the roster all along. The team decided to cut all three of its likely candidates to back up Javonte Williams and Malik Davis, and instead opted for Emari Demercado, who was claimed off waivers Monday afternoon.
Demercado, a three-year veteran, has spent his first three years with the Cardinals, but joined the Chiefs in the offseason. He was recently cut by Kansas City on Sunday.
Demercado reunites with Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, who served as Arizona's offensive line coach for his first two years in the league (2023-24). He is also familiar with the area, having played at TCU.
A big-play runner, Demercado owns a 6.5-yard average for his career, rushing for 819 yards on 126 carries, along with three touchdowns. However, his most memorable play occurred on a 55-yard run to the end zone in which he dropped the ball before the goal line, resulting in a sideline altercation with then-Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon. Overall, Demercado still has a career-long run of 71 yards and has touchdown scores of 53 and 49 yards, showcasing his big-play ability.
Aug. 30
5:44 p.m. - The Cowboys seem to have one of their deepest rosters in recent years, and another example of that is the experience. Only six rookies made the 53-man roster on Sunday, including Camden Brown, who is the only undrafted rookie to make it.
Brown, who had a stellar training camp and preseason 鈥� scoring two touchdowns 鈥� and had a big play in all three games, is one of six receivers on the squad, along with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin and Jonathan Mingo.
The Cowboys only kept five draft picks 鈥� Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence, Jaishawn Barham, Drew Shelton and LT Overton. The team placed CB Devin Moore on IR although he should be able to return this year. Seventh-round pick Anthony Smith was among the cuts but the Cowboys might try and get him back on the practice squad.
----------------
5:21 p.m. - The Cowboys placed Marist Liufau on IR-Designated to Return on Sunday, which removes him from the roster but keeps him available when he returns from his injury. Liufau suffered a fractured forearm in last Friday's game with the Saints. He will require surgery as head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Liufau would "miss some weeks" of action.
The team also put cornerback Devin Moore on the same list as the rookie has dealt with a hip injury.
The NFL now allows teams to put two players on IR-to return on this day without having them stay on the roster for one day. However, teams only get eight spots for IR-to return this year and Liufau and Moore are the first two.
Liufau was expected to be a core member of the special teams and have a hybrid role on defense as a pass-rusher potential nickel linebacker. Moore finds himself in a crowded cornerback room as the team currently has five on the roster with Ameer Speed and Caelen Carson making it as the backups.
-----------
The Cowboys placed Marist Liufau on IR-Designated to Return on Sunday, which removes him from the roster but keeps him available when he returns from his injury. Liufau suffered a fractured forearm in last Friday's game with the Saints. He will require surgery as head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Liufau would "miss some weeks" of action.
The team also put cornerback Devin Moore on the same list as the rookie has dealt with a hip injury.
The NFL now allows teams to put two players on IR-to return on this day without having them stay on the roster for one day. However, teams only get eight spots for IR-to return this year and Liufau and Moore are the first two.
Liufau was expected to be a core member of the special teams and have a hybrid role on defense as a pass-rusher potential nickel linebacker. Moore finds himself in a crowded cornerback room as the team currently has five on the roster with Ameer Speed and Caelen Carson making it as the backups.
2:20 p.m. -- The Cowboys have until 5:00 CDT today to trim the roster to 53 players. But the team has already started the process, reportedly informing at least 10 players they will be released.
One of those players is apparently offensive lineman Shiyazh Pete, a fan favorite who has inspired his Navajo Nation with his journey to the NFL.
Pete's agent Brett Tessler tweeted a post on X that his client has been released and hopes to continue to develop his career.
Pete had played sparingly in the three preseason games. He is now subject to waivers and could either be claimed to another roster or can sign with any team on the practice squad.
Aug. 29
5:15 p.m. --聽After the Cowboys closed the preseason on Friday night against the New Orleans Saints, head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked if he feels Dallas has their swing tackle currently on the roster.
"I think we feel good about our tackle group," Schottenheimer said. "I think I want to see the film, see how Nate did. Nate and Drew have been competing, but I want to see the film. But I thought we had a couple really good days. We're using those guys a little different ways as well, but I hope so."
According to multiple reports including NFL.com and NFL Media, the Cowboys have agreed to terms on a trade to acquire Steelers OT Broderick Jones. There has been no official announcement of the move yet, but it would be another player to factor into Dallas' competition for that role.
Aug. 28
10:43 p.m. 鈥� The Cowboys chose to sit Javonte Williams, Malik Davis and Jayden Blue on Friday night against the Saints. Whether that means all three are safe on the roster remains to be seen, but someone had to start the game and get the bulk of the carries.
That task went to Phil Mafah, who is also firmly in the mix to make the team. He started the game and led the team with 12 carries for 46 yards. Also splitting time in the backfield was Israel Abinikanda, who had seven carries for 16 yards but caught three balls for 16 yards.
The Cowboys will cut down the roster to 53 players by Sunday's deadline at 5 p.m. (CDT).
------------
10:34 p.m. 鈥� In his first game since being signed this week, tight end Mitch Van Vooren made a strong first impression, catching a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Van Vooren's 21-yard catch from Sam Howell, helped the Cowboys tie the game 24-24 against the Saints. Van Vooren finished with two catches for 27 yards.
The Cowboys have been limited with tight ends during the last two preseason games as they elected to sit Jake Ferguson, Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker on Friday, leaving just Michael Trigg, Zack Kuntz and Van Vooren to play.
------------
9:00 p.m. --聽Cowboys OLB Marist Liufau has been ruled out of the remainder of Dallas' final preseason game against the Saints with a wrist injury.
Liufau, who is heading into his third season with the Cowboys, suffered the injury late in the first quarter after making a tackle on Saints RB Kendre Miller.
It's uncertain what kind of wrist injury Liufau has, but it could impact how the Cowboys construct their 53-man roster ahead of Sunday's 5:00 p.m. CT deadline.
August 27
5:10 p.m. -- Cowboys UDFA WR Jordan Hudson was among a list of about two dozen outgoing senior NCAA athletes that were granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by a Dallas judge that would allow them to return for another season of college football and enter the transfer portal.
Hudson, who spent his last collegiate season at SMU, now could potentially elect to return to the college ranks after the NCAA recently ruled collegiate athletes could play five total seasons, but his class of 2022 was not included in that rule change, which has sparked similar cases and TROs being distributed to other rookies around the NFL in recent days looking to return for another season of college football.
There are still other steps that need to be taken in order for a potential return to happen, and Hudson could decide to remain in the NFL, but at least for now, the door appears to be open for Hudson and other former collegiate football players to go back and play another year in college. Hudson has played in two preseason games for the Cowboys and recorded three catches for 27 yards.
---------------
