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Cowboys Roster Shuffle: Injured Stars, Waiver Wire Tricks, and Surprise Roster Spots
26 Aug
Summary
- Cowboys place veteran DE Payton Turner and WR Jonathan Mingo on IR
- Rookie RB Phil Mafah makes 53-man roster, impacting veteran RB Miles Sanders
- Cowboys sign RB Miles Sanders in offseason, but he struggles in preseason
As the Dallas Cowboys work to finalize their 53-man roster for the 2025-26 NFL regular season, they are employing a variety of tactics to keep their coveted players from being claimed on the waiver wire.
On Tuesday, the team placed veteran defensive end Payton Turner and wide receiver Jonathan Mingo on injured reserve (IR) with a designation to return. This move allows the Cowboys to hold onto these players while they recover, as each team can place two players on the IR/DTR list, which causes them to miss the first four weeks of the season.
In a surprising twist, it was reported that fan favorite rookie running back Phil Mafah will actually make the 53-man roster, despite initial plans to place him on IR. The Cowboys' strategy is to add Mafah to the roster and then move him to IR after 24 hours, securing his spot on the team.
This decision could directly impact the status of veteran running back Miles Sanders, whom the Cowboys signed during the offseason. Sanders was expected to compete for the starting job, but he struggled in the preseason, recording just 7 carries for 15 yards and a 2.1 yards-per-carry average. With Mafah's unexpected roster spot and the emergence of other running backs like Javonte Williams and Jaydon Blue, Sanders' future with the team is now in question as the roster deadline approaches.
