The Cowboys currently have a roster of 74 players, including eight signed through free agency, two acquired via trades, and 10 who have reserve/future contracts.
This indicates that the Cowboys still have 16 available spots on their offseason roster. They own 10 picks in the NFL draft, which will potentially expand their roster to 84 players. This figure, combined with the likelihood of releasing some reserve/future players—most of whom were on the practice squad last season—creates significant opportunity for signing undrafted free agents after the draft concludes.
Approximately 6,000 players are eligible for the draft each year, but only 257 will be selected. The majority will not have their names called over the three-day event. Some may feel disappointed about not being drafted, while others might not have anticipated selection. Ultimately, all fall into the pool of undrafted free agents (UDFAs) available to teams right after the draft.
“Every time we sign those 15 to 20 [UDFA] guys, we sign them from our draft board.” – Stephen Jones
For UDFAs, joining a team like Dallas can be advantageous. The Cowboys are known for successfully developing undrafted players such as Tony Romo and Miles Austin into NFL stars. In the previous year alone:
- 10 former UDFAs started at least one game for the Cowboys, including Terence Steele (17 starts), Rico Dowdle (15), and Cooper Rush (8).
- Seven other former UDFAs—Brandon Aubrey, Markquese Bell, Princeton Fant, Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Juanyeh Thomas, and Tyrus Wheat—also played significant roles.
- Additionally, two former UDFAs, TE John Stephens and OT Earl Bostick, spent the season on injured reserve.
Beyond this, numerous players who initially signed as UDFAs with the Cowboys have gone on to earn Super Bowl rings with other teams, like Charvarious Ward and Peyton Hendershot. The franchise historically brings in more UDFAs than most teams and has a strong track record for developing them.
Last year, Dallas signed 12 rookie UDFAs after the draft; three remain with the Cowboys while three others are on different NFL rosters. This ratio reflects that 50% of the UDFA class is still active in the NFL, which is a commendable statistic.
| Player | POS | NFL Team 2024 | 2025 Status |
| Brevyn Spann-Ford | TE | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Brock Mogensen | LB | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Denzel Daxon | DT | Cowboys | Cowboys |
| Emany Johnson | S | Chargers | Chargers |
| Julius Wood | S | Titans | Titans |
| Cam Johnson | WR | Panthers | Panthers |
| Josh DeBerry | S | – – | CFL: Hamilton Tiger Cats |
| Byron Vaughns | DL | – – | UFL: Houston Roughnecks |
| Nathaniel Peat | RB | – – | – – |
| Jason Johnson | LB | – – | – – |
| Alec Holler | TE | – – | – – |
| Corey Crooms | WR | – – | – – |
The Cowboys’ approach to UDFAs is not merely informative but strategic. Will McClay, the Cowboys’ VP of player personnel, discussed their competitive edge in signing players soon after the draft, emphasizing their rich history with undrafted talent.
“We’re looking at guys and it’s a competition,” McClay noted post-draft. “It’s almost a free market. We talk to players about opportunities and their chances to play.”
The Cowboys’ successful recruitment of college free agents is attributed to their robust scouting process. Chris Hall, the director of college scouting, ensures that evaluations remain consistent pre- and post-draft, leading to further signings from their draft board even after the event concludes.
After last year’s draft, Stephen Jones revealed they targeted about 10 players left on their board, successfully signing half of them.
Stephen Jones elaborated on their recruitment strategy:
“We now focus on about 100 to 120 players we truly want, regardless of their draft position.”
Recently, the Cowboys have introduced financial incentives to enhance their appeal during the UDFA signing period. This shift includes offering guaranteed money on base salaries, which teams have started using creatively despite the cap on signing bonuses.
Last year, the Cowboys notably engaged in a “bidding war” for tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, securing him with a $20,000 signing bonus and a significant guarantee from their salary pool. Spann-Ford was just one of several UDFAs offered substantial guaranteed money, indicating Dallas’s commitment to acquiring quality talent.
| 2024 UDFA Class | ||
| Player | POS | Total GTD |
| Brevyn Spann-Ford | TE | $245,000 |
| Julius Wood | S | $190,000 |
| Emany Johnson | S | $170,000 |
| Jason Johnson | LB | $155,000 |
| Josh DeBerry | S | $31,000 |
| Cam Johnson | WR | $10,000 |
| Denzel Daxon | DT | $6,000 |
| Byron Vaughns | DL | $5,000 |
| Brock Mogensen | LB | $3,000 |
| Nathaniel Peat | RB | $3,000 |
| Corey Crooms | WR | $3,000 |
| Alec Holler | TE | — |
| Total | $821,000 | |
Stephen Jones indicated that the Cowboys had draftable grades assigned to five players last year, and the guaranteed funds paid to their draft class provides insight into who those players may have been.
In 2022, the team stated they signed seven players with draftable grades to their UDFA class. Although a similar announcement was not made for the 2023 class, it’s worth noting that eight out of 12 signed were featured on Dane Brugler’s top 300 prospect list. Below is a summary comparing total guaranteed money across recent UDFA classes:
| 2022 UDFA Class | 2023 UDFA Class | |||||
| Player | POS | Total GTD | Player | POS | Total GTD | |
| Markquese Bell | S | $215,000 | Earl Bostick | OT | $220,000 | |
| Peyton Hendershot | TE | $165,000 | Hunter Luepke | FB | $200,000 | |
| Juanyeh Thomas | S | $165,000 | Tyrus Wheat | LB | $200,000 | |
| Alex Lindstrom | C | $112,500 | T.J. Bass | OG | $150,000 | |
| Malik Davis | RB | $110,000 | Myles Brooks | CB | $150,000 | |
| Dontario Drummond | WR | $110,000 | David Durden | WR | $150,000 | |
| James Empey | C | $110,000 | Durrell Johnson | DE | $150,000 | |
| Aaron Hansford | LB | $85,000 | Jalen Moreno-Cropper | WR | $150,000 | |
| Ty Fryfogle | WR | $80,000 | Isaiah Land | DE | $100,000 | |
| Quandre Mosely | CB | $80,000 | Princeton Fant | TE | $30,000 | |
| Jaquarii Roberson | WR | $80,000 | Jose Barbon | WR | $3,000 | |
| Aaron Shampklin | RB | $80,000 | D’Angelo Mandell | CB | $3,000 | |
| Isaac Taylor-Stuart | CB | $70,000 | John Stephens | TE | $3,000 | |
| Dennis Houston | WR | $65,000 | ||||
| Storey Jackson | LB | $65,000 | ||||
| Jonathan Garibay | K | $55,000 | ||||
| Mike Tafua | DE | $55,000 | ||||
| La’Kendrick Van Zandt | S | $55,000 | ||||
| Amon Simon | OT | $5,000 | ||||
| Markaviest Bryant | DE | – – | ||||
| Grand Total | $1,762,500 | Grand Total | $1,509,000 | |||
For a lengthy period, the Cowboys have been significant investors in UDFAs, dating back to 2012 when they made headlines for signing OG Ronald Leary with a generous signing bonus and salary guarantees.
The organization regarded Leary as a third-round talent but assigned him a sixth-round grade due to injury concerns. Ultimately, the Cowboys prevailed in securing him with lucrative guarantees.
Leary enjoyed a successful four-year stint with the Cowboys before continuing his career in Denver. Former head coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged the effectiveness of the Cowboys’ UDFA process, positively reflecting on his experience with the team.
“It’s a well-structured process here,” McCarthy commented. “It’s definitely the most productive free-agent system that I’ve been involved with.”
The Cowboys are keen to enhance their roster this year, and the upcoming UDFA class in 2025 will be pivotal in that effort. Given their history of success and established processes, fans hope Stephen won’t hesitate when it’s time to invest in quality UDFAs.
