3 least deserving players to make the Cowboys 53-man roster

It's far from official, but the Dallas Cowboys have their initial 53-man roster. While not every move is universally loved, they did an admirable job when it came to making their moves. Arguably, the most talented player they released was Isaiah Land who was in a battle for a spot in a very deep EDGE group.

With that being said, a few players made this roster most likely due to draft status or past performance — rather than anything they did during training camp and the preseason. Here are three such players, who might be the least deserving to make the Cowboys 53 man roster.

3. Peyton Hendershot, TE

Perhaps Peyton Hendershot doesn't make the roster if rookie John Stephens, Jr. doesn't get injured. Stephens was phenomenal throughout training camp and then went off in the preseason. He was doing everything he could to make the roster but went down with a knee injury in the team's loss to Seattle. After the game, it was confirmed he suffered a torn ACL and would miss his entire rookie campaign.

That injury likely saved Hendershot, who made it as an undrafted free agent in 2022. As a rookie, he was able to see the field in all 17 games and had 11 receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

While his performance was enough to raise expectations in 2023, the sophomore was quiet throughout camp. He didn't seem to have taken a step forward and was overshadowed by Stephens — and even Sean McKeon.

In the end, his upside as a pass-catcher kept him on the roster but he needs to find a way to get things moving in the right direction again.