Richardson spent five years in the Big 12 for Oklahoma State and Baylor before transferring to Tulsa in 2025. The running back's best Big 12 season was in 2022, where he capped out at 543 yards and eight touchdowns on 149 rushes. In 2025, Richardson dominated the American conference with 1,065 yards and five touchdowns on 212 carries over 12 games. Richardson could provide some depth value to the Cowboys' running back corps if his athleticism translates to the NFL level.

Hudson started only 13 games in his college career, with nine of them coming in his final season at SMU after he served as a depth option for the two seasons prior. The wide receiver ended 2025 with 61 receptions for 766 yards and six touchdowns. Hudson plays quick and agile and showed improvement every college season. If he can continue to refine his technique, he could develop into valuable wide-receiver depth for Dallas.

Brown played at Auburn for three years before transferring to Georgia Southern ahead of his senior season. The wide receiver started 13 games in 2025, producing 65 receptions for 1,079 receiving yards and a whopping 14 touchdowns. Brown's scant production with the Tigers, for whom he recorded just 26 receptions for 280 receiving yards and three touchdowns, may have played a role in him going undrafted. If the 6-foot-2, 198-pound wideout can prove his athleticism translates to the NFL level, he could provide strong depth value to the Cowboys' offense and special teams.

Pickens signing the tag was expected, and now the wideout is guaranteed $27.3 million for the 2026 season. As things stand, the Cowboys have a clear-cut 1-2 punch atop their WR depth chart in CeeDee Lamb and Pickens. Regarding speculation that the team could consider moving Pickens, Jon Machota of The Athletic notes that Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones made it clear after Day 1 of last week's draft that the team has no interest in trading the 2022 second-rounder. In his first season with Dallas, Pickens recorded a fantasy-friendly 93/1,429/9 receiving line across 17 regular-season contests.

Robinson got a chance to prove his mettle in 2025 due to an injury bug that hit the 49ers' linebacker corps. The 27-year-old played 244 defensive snaps over 14 games last season, up from 83 snaps over 15 games in the first five years of his career combined. Robinson registered 42 tackles (19 solo) over that 14-game span and has proven to be a reliable depth option that will be able to produce for the Cowboys in 2026 if DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James or Dee Winters are unable to suit up.

Johnson played in 12 games for the Jets in 2025, catching 12 balls for 197 yards and one touchdown. The addition of Marquez Valdes-Scantling means there is yet another wide receiver Johnson will need to outperform in training camp to remain on the active roster. If the 27-year-old can win a role, he likely will maintain his 2025 production level.

Valdes-Scantling appeared in 10 regular-season games with the 49ers and Steelers last season, compiling 14 catches for 120 yards and one touchdown. The 31-year-old is joining his fifth team in the last two calendar years and will attempt to win a job with Dallas this summer. He'll compete with Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo and others behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.

Williams re-signed with Dallas via a three-year, $24 million deal in February after putting together a breakout campaign with the team in 2025, totaling 252 carries for 1,201 yards (4.8 YPC) and 11 touchdowns across 16 regular-season appearances. He also secured 35 of 51 targets for 137 yards and two scores. Given that the No. 2 role behind Williams appears open to a competition between Malik Davis (eye), Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah and Israel Abanikanda, the Cowboys appeared to be a candidate to add playmaking upside to the backfield via the NFL Draft, particularly in the form of a pass-catching complement. Instead, fourth-round offensive lineman Drew Shelton represents the team's main addition on offense, and Williams retains a clear path to a workhorse role. Williams missed Week 18 due to a shoulder issue but is presumably ready for spring activities.

Smith did little of note through four years at NC State, but he exploded after transferring to East Carolina for his final two seasons of college ball, generating 105 catches for 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns. Despite not having a polished route tree, he can win deep balls with a 4.40 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2, 197 pounds. Smith didn't play special teams at ECU but should have the ability to contribute in that facet. It will be difficult to break into the offensive rotation with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin taking nearly all the reps.

Overton displayed his versatility by playing all over the defensive line with Alabama in 2025, finishing with 42 total tackles, including 4.0 sacks, and one pass defense across 13 games (12 starts). The Cowboys selected two other defensive rushers in Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham in the first and third rounds, respectively, so Overton's ability to line up in multiple spots and fit in different schemes should be an asset as he heads into his rookie NFL season.

Moore is a big cornerback out of Florida whose 6-foot-3, 198-pound frame and 4.5 speed give him the chance to establish himself as a starting press-heavy boundary corner in the NFL. With tall, long-armed corners like Moore and 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel on the roster, it would seem Dallas plans to run a lot of press man coverage going forward.

The Penn State product started at left tackle in each of his last two years in college and was named as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in both 2024 and 2025. He has quick feet and speed to keep up with NFL-level rushers, but he'll need to work on his functional strength to earn meaningful playing time. Shelton figures to serve in a reserve role at offensive tackle behind Tyler Smith (knee), Tyler Guyton (ankle) and Terence Steele.

Barham showed his versatility and explosiveness as a linebacker who converted to edge with Michigan in 2025, when he was named as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and posted 32 tackles, including 4.0 sacks, one forced fumble and three pass defenses across 12 games. That versatility should help him line up on the defensive front and second level, and he has the speed and physicality to beat his blocker, though he did have issues with getting flagged for offside when anticipating the offense's snap count. Barham likely will operate in a rotational role at edge behind Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku (hip) and 2026 first-rounder Malachi Lawrence.

A sixth-round draft pick in 2023, Winters took Dre Greenlaw's starting spot at weakside linebacker last year, when the former posted a career-high 101 total tackles and five pass defenses (including a pick-six) across 17 regular-season games. Winters' spot on the Cowboys' first-team defense is far from guaranteed as he'll face competition from DeMarvion Overshown (concussion) and Shemar James for a starting spot at inside linebacker.

After landing safety Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick, the Cowboys continue to bolster their defense by adding Lawrence. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound edge rusher was one of the big winners at the combine, posting a 4.52-second 40-yard dash to go with a 40-inch vertical and 130-inch broad jump. Lawrence's explosive athleticism showed up in his UCF box score as well, producing 7.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss as a senior in 2025, though the hope is that Lawrence's rare burst will allow him to make even more of a pass-rushing impact at the NFL level.

The Cowboys moved up from the 12th pick to take Downs from what was previously Miami's draft slot. Downs (6-feet, 206 pounds) is a blue-chip prospect who might have gone even higher if not for vague long-term concerns over his meniscus health, so there are basically no critics of Downs as a safety. Downs dominated at both Ohio State and Alabama, and drafting Downs might be giving Jerry Jones flashbacks of drafting Roy Williams out of Oklahoma, which was once a point of pride for the Cowboys. Downs will be a three-down player for Dallas right away.

Aubrey's new deal with Dallas is record-setting, and as Adam Schefter of ESPN reports makes him the first kicker in NFL history to earn $7 million annually on average. Across 17 regular-season appearances in 2025, Aubrey converted 36 of his 42 field-goal attempts and was especially clutch from 50-plus yards, going 11-for-17. The Cowboys initially assigned Aubrey a second-round tender as a placeholder to work out a long-term deal.

Bell could be facing disciplinary charges from the NFL under the league's personal conduct policy, though more details of the arrest have yet to be released. He is entering the second season of a three-year, $12 million contract that he signed with Dallas in March of 2025. Bell appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the Cowboys in 2025, splitting his time evenly between defense and special teams. He finished with 41 tackles (20 solo), three pass defenses (one interception) and one forced fumble.

Bullard spent the 2025 season in New Orleans while serving in a rotational role along the defensive line. He logged only 325 defensive snaps — his lowest since 2022 — and he may play in a similarly limited fashion in 2026, given the Cowboys' investment in their defensive line in the last two offseasons.

Kendrick kicked off the 2025 campaign handling a depth role with Seattle, but he was waived after 10 regular-season appearances and then claimed by the Rams, playing five more games. The cornerback and special-teamer will compete for a reserve gig in Dallas.

Ballentine spent last summer with the Packers but was cut ahead of Week 1 and signed with New England, spending most of September with the team. He then signed with Dallas, where he spent much of the 2025 campaign on the practice squad. Ballentine will compete for a job this offseason.

Bass had been a restricted free agent and was tendered by the Cowboys in early March. He could compete for the starting role at left guard in 2026, although competition might still be coming via free agency or the draft.

Steward blossomed in his second NFL campaign and his first with the Cowboys in 2025, playing all 17 games and making five starts. He logged 40 tackles including 1.5 sacks, three defensed passes and one forced fumble while playing mostly in the slot. Dallas picked up Cobie Durant, who has experience in the slot, this offseason, and further additions at corner in the draft could push Steward into a depth role in 2026.

The terms of the contract have yet to be announced, but Fant will return to the Cowboys for the 2026 season. He spent most of the 2025 campaign on the Cowboys' practice squad and, and his lone regular-season appearance came in Week 9 against the Cardinals, when he played 11 snaps on special teams without showing up on the box score otherwise.

Durant appeared in all 17 regular-season games for the Rams last season, making 15 starts, and finished with 40 tackles (30 solo) and seven pass breakups, including three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Durant will compete for cornerback snaps alongside Shavon Revel (concussion), Caelen Carson and Trikweze Bridges opposite DaRon Bland (foot).