If the last week taught Dallas Cowboys fans anything, it's to expect the unexpected. Did anyone predict the team sending a fourth-round pick to the 49ers for Trey Lance? The move came out of nowhere and really set the stage for the most chaotic 48 hours of the NFL offseason: the 53-man roster deadline.
With one of the most stacked rosters in the league, the Cowboys were always going to release players who would otherwise have no trouble making the 53-man roster on another team. They parted with multiple players from their 2021 draft class, which was expected, but also cut bait with some more recent draft picks.
It's impossible to project if the Cowboys' decisions will pan out down the line -- or even during the upcoming season -- but the roster crunch opens the door for all kinds of speculation and conjecture.
With that, here are some players Dallas will regret leaving off the final roster.
3. Sean McKeon, TE
A number of Cowboys talking heads expected the team to keep four tight ends. With McKeon's release, they'll roll with Jake Ferguson, rookie Luke Schoonmaker and Peyton Hendershot, who may or may not have been saved by promising rookie John Stephens Jr.'s season-ending ACL injury.
Stephen's (likely) inclusion on the 53 would have opened the door for McKeon to make the team given his versatility as a blocker.
It seems as though Dallas' coaching staff is content moving forward Ferguson, Schoonmaker and Hendershot, each of whom can handle their own blocking, but we can't help but feel that the Trey Lance deal cost McKeon a roster spot.
Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, there was a lot of "back-and-forth and desire" to keep McKeon on the team, though it ultimately became clear there was room for only three tight ends.
If the Lance trade doesn't happen, it stands to reason that McKeon, a 2020 undrafted free agent, would have snuck onto the initial 53-man roster.
Hopefully, fan favorite Hunter Luepke's ability to block helps offset the loss of McKeon, but Luepke doesn't figure to line up at tight end all that much, making the decision to axe McKeon all the more confusing.
2. Isaiah Land, LB
Land was widely projected to make the 53-man roster. Not because he would have an immediate impact on Dan Quinn's defense, but because the the Cowboys didn't want to run the risk of exposing him to the waiver wire.
While teams will prioritize their own released players, it's impossible not to think Land garnered interest amid a strong preseason. According to Pro Football Focus, Land tallied 10 pressures and seven hurries on 45 pass-rush snaps.
That's quality production for an undrafed free agent.
Granted, the Cowboys are loaded at edge rusher, but some fans wondered if they would trade Dorance Armstrong or Dante Fowler Jr. to create a pathway for playing time for Land, who ranked near the top amongst all defenders in preseason in pass rush win rate and pressure rate.
Land is best served on the edge as opposed to off-ball. Did that seal his roster fate given the Cowboys are loaded at DE? Perhaps, but he's an intriguing development project who can slide into the pass rush rotation once the team moves on from its current veterans.
We seriously hope Land makes it back to the practice squad. Losing him would be a crushing blow even if he was destined to ride the bench.
1. Kelvin Joseph
Who would have thought, right? Fans hoped a strong preseason wasn't enough to offset two inconsistent seasons from Joseph.
With the former second-round pick destined to land on waivers, per the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys did the next best thing and cashed in before outright cutting him. Joseph was shipped to the Dolphins for 2020 first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene, who also happens to play cornerback.
The Cowboys trading Joseph signifies their confidence Jourdan Lewis' health, who avoided landing on the PUP list to start the season. This gives Dan Quinn two reliable nickel corners in Lewis and second-year man DaRon Bland.
Having a third in Joseph might have been overkill, but the former second-round pick is in the best form of his career. He allowed two catches all preseason on over 20 targets and was trending toward having a big role on special teams.
Perhaps Joseph's first two seasons in the league -- which were plagued by off-field troubles and inconsistent play -- convinced the Cowboys to pull the plug, but we can't help but scratch our head at the timing of the trade.
Here's hoping Igbinoghene makes an impact, but we're not counting on it.