Cowboys trim their running backs group as roster settles toward 53-man deadline

The Dallas Cowboys moved closer to their initial 53-man roster with a roster-decision day that included multiple running back waivers and other trimming across the club. Yahoo Sports reported that the Cowboys reached 39 announced moves as they worked down to their opening-season limit, with Sam Williams among the players included in the group of cuts.

Roster building for the Cowboys has turned into a balancing act between standout top-end skill and the numbers they can realistically carry through the first month. According to the report, Dallas entered the final phase with only two tailbacks on its initial 53-player roster, a notable reduction in running back volume compared to what fans often expect from a team that values depth for injuries and workload management.

Within that reduction, the Cowboys waived running backs Jayden Blue, Israel Abanikanda, Jashaun Corbin and Phil Mafah. The waivers report that the team is willing to take chances on other roster spots rather than keep a larger committee at the position for Week 1 and beyond.

For players, being waived at the cut-down threshold can create a second life through claims, but it also reflects the reality that a roster spot is never guaranteed. The Cowboys decision to thin the group suggests that they believed other backs already on the roster were better aligned with their early-season plan, whether that plan emphasizes early-down workload, pass protection, or special-teams snaps.

The report also underscores how quickly NFL roster math can change during the preseason. Even when multiple players have shown flashes, the league’s rules force teams to select which specific skill sets fit the system, and which players can cover multiple roles if the depth chart is compressed.

Because this account comes from a Yahoo Sports report summarizing the team’s announced moves, several details that often accompany NFL roster decisions are not included here, such as whether the Cowboys replaced the waived backs with other runners via promotions, or whether the club’s remaining tailbacks were selected strictly on preseason performance versus practice usage.

The next thing to watch is what happens on the waiver wire for the four tailbacks and whether any of them are claimed quickly. For Dallas, the focus shifts to how the remaining running backs handle early-season usage patterns, especially if any of the position’s roles require specialization beyond what the cut-down leaves available.

As the Cowboys settle their roster, the run-up to the opener will also reveal whether this reduced tailback group is a temporary preseason outcome or a longer-term statement. If injuries arise early, Dallas could still adjust, but the initial decision indicates that, at least on the first 53-man snapshot, the team preferred fewer, more certain options at running back.