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Brian Schottenheimer finally cuts Cowboys draft pick that ran out of chances

ByMarcus Mosher|
Jul 27, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jul 27, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the NFL’s best drafting teams and a big reason why is their ability to hit on late-round picks.

During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cowboys found multiple starters on Day 3, including Daron Bland and Jake Ferguson. One player from that class was viewed as a potential cut coming into training camp was fifth-round pick Matt Waletzko.

Waletzko was waived/injured on Saturday as part of a roster shakeup. The Cowboys also put wide receiver Parris Campbell on injured reserve, ending his season. This created room for offensive lineman La'el Collins and Geron Christian, who were signed this week after successful workouts.

Cowboys officially cut former fifth-round pick Matt Waletzko

The Cowboys selected Waletzko in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the hope that he could develop into the swing tackle and maybe even a starting right tackle. But injuries have plagued Waletzko from his rookie year and he hasn’t developed much as a player.

Coming from North Dakota, Waletzko was one of the most athletic offensive tackle prospects to enter the NFL Combine in years. Standing at nearly 6-8 with over 36” arms, Waletzko ran a 5.03 40-yard dash and posted one of the best broad jumps (113”) among all offensive linemen that year.

However, the knock on Waletzko was that he was always a better athlete than a football player. The hope was that in the NFL with better coaching, he would develop into a playable offensive lineman, but that has yet to happen.

And now that we are multiple weeks into training camp, he has seen the likes of Nathan Thomas, Asim Richards, and Ajani Cornelius all pass him up on the depth chart.

The Cowboys have moved Waletzko around the offensive line with a majority of his snaps at guard, which isn’t a great sign for his long-term outlook. Dallas has plenty of interior offensive line depth and a 6-8 guard is less-than-ideal.

It as always possible that Waletzko could dominate in the preseason and earn a spot on the 53-man roster. And that’s a shame because he is incredibly gifted physically, but his inability to stay on the field and show improvement as a pass blocker ultimately ended his days in Dallas.

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