With the Dallas Cowboys' 53-man roster now officially released before the 2026 NFL season begins, the breakdowns and analysis of the squad that Brian Schottenheimer and Jerry Jones put together have begun. Some see this group as a Super Bowl hopeful; others a middling team with some holes.
If you want position-by-position takeaways or other roster evaluations, you can find them elsewhere on our site. But if you want some deeper and, frankly, more fun breakdowns of this roster, then you have come to the right place, as we took an unconventional path to analyzing this Cowboys team.
How did each player get to Dallas? Which head coach brought them in? Is there a position group on the roster that is getting paid a ton and needs to perform? How old are the position groups compared to each other? Which college football conference reigns supreme at Cowboys HQ?
We answer all of those questions below, so check out the table of contents and dive into whatever piques your interest!
- How was each player on the Cowboys' roster acquired by the franchise?
- Which head coach brought these players to Dallas?
- What is the average age on the Cowboys' roster (and which position group is the oldest?)
- Which college football conference is best-represented in Dallas?
- At which position do the Cowboys have the most money invested for 2026?
How was each player on the Cowboys' roster acquired by the franchise?
Through which avenue did Dallas bring each player into the building?
Acquired Via | Total Number | % of Roster |
|---|---|---|
Draft | 21 | 39.6 |
Free Agency | 16 | 30.2 |
UDFA | 8 | 15.1 |
Trade | 7 | 13.2 |
Waivers | 1 | 1.9 |
Obviously, this team has predominantly been built through the draft. But the rate at which Jones and Co. trade for players and discover them as undrafted free agents is certainly higher than the league average and is a sign that this front office has a keen eye for talent.
Fun fact: Brandon Aubrey, Kavontae Turpin and Ameer Speed all came to Dallas as free agents, but from other professional football leagues, like the UFL or the USFL.
Note: While Tyrus Wheat originally joined the Cowboys as a UDFA, he went elsewhere and came back as a free agent this offseason, so he counts under "free agency."
Which head coach brought these players to Dallas?
Who was responsible for making these players a Cowboy?
Head Coach | Total Number | % of Roster |
|---|---|---|
Brian Schottenheimer (2025-26) | 30 | 56.6 |
Mike McCarthy (2020-24) | 22 | 41.5 |
Jason Garrett (2010-2019) | 1 | 1.9 |
In just two short years, Schottenheimer is turning this roster over. The McCarthy-era influence is still strong, but the new-and-improved fingerprint is starting to take over. And shoutout to Jason Garrett for Dak Prescott, although it's shocking that Dallas only has one pre-COVID player left on the team.
Note: Wheat was signed as a UDFA under McCarthy, but returned as a free agent under Schottenheimer, so he counts toward the latter's total.
What is the average age on the Cowboys' roster (and which position group is the oldest?)
Which position group in the building is the youngest? The oldest? The least and most experienced?
Position Group | Average Age | Total Years of Experience |
|---|---|---|
LB | 23.8 | 7 |
IOL | 24.6 | 11 |
OT | 25.0 | 11 |
CB | 25.8 | 13 |
WR | 25.8 | 19 |
SAF/Nickel | 26.3 | 27 |
ROSTER AVERAGE | 26.49 | 209 |
RB | 26.5 | 13 |
TE | 26.7 | 9 |
DE/OLB | 27.3 | 29 |
DT | 27.4 | 31 |
QB | 29.0 | 14 |
Special Teams | 33.0 | 25 |
At an average age of roughly 26.5, this isn't spring chicken of a team, but several older players like Von Miller and Bryan Anger are really driving up that average. Prescott is also now the third-oldest player on the team, which shows you just how fast time flies.
Critically, the offensive line is already great and incredibly young, and the defense has tons of experience to mesh with it being Christian Parker's first go-around. And the special teams unit is elite but ancient by NFL standards, as not a single one of them is younger than 31. They are fossils!
Which college football conference is best-represented in Dallas?
What conference did these players play in during their final collegiate campaigns?
Conference | # of Players | % of Roster |
|---|---|---|
AAC | 2 | 3.8 |
ACC | 5 | 9.4 |
Big 12 | 11 | 20.8 |
Big Ten | 10 | 18.9 |
FCS | 5 | 9.4 |
Mountain West | 2 | 3.8 |
Independent | 1 | 1.9 |
Pac 12 | 5 | 9.4 |
SEC | 11 | 20.8 |
Sun Belt | 1 | 1.9 |
As expected, nearly half of America's Team is comprised of players from the Big 12 and SEC. The Big Ten is next up, and despite the conference's recent death, the Pac 12 is also decently represented down in Dallas. And to continue with the keen eye for talent, the Cowboys have lots of FCS players.
At which position do the Cowboys have the most money invested for 2026?
Where is Dallas allocating its funds this season?
Position | Combined Cap Hit for 2026 | % of Salary Cap |
|---|---|---|
QB | $47,108,925 | 15.6 |
RB | $9,251,611 | 3.1 |
WR | $54,242,162 | 18.0 |
TE | $13,503,833 | 4.5 |
IOL | $23,872,191 | 7.9 |
OT | $15,037,748 | 5.0 |
DE/OLB | $17,215,805 | 5.7 |
DT | $26,703,359 | 8.9 |
LB | $7,768,605 | 2.6 |
CB | $24,810,202 | 8.2 |
SAF/Nickel | $24,305,990 | 8.1 |
Special Teams | $9,011,213 | 3.0 |
IR | $5,249,009 | 1.7 |
Those wide receivers better perform. And I have it on good authority that they will.
Honestly, Dallas is in a bit of salary cap trouble, but things are pretty evenly distributed across the roster here. Maybe that's not a good thing or reflective of how NFL teams should pay their players, but the Cowboys haven't really got out over their skis at any one position.
And if you're a math whiz and noticed that the percentages in the far right column don't add up to 100%, that's because the cap hits for the practice squad haven't been exactly calculated yet (C'mon Joe Milton!) and dead cap money, unfortunately, is taking up some space as well.
Shoutout to Osa Odighizuwa, Zack Martin and Trevon Diggs for that! Good to know those three are still on the payroll (even though I'd pay Martin millions to host a yearly clinic for the Dallas offensive line).
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