Cowboys BREAKING: 5 Cuts Include Vet TE & Brett Maher Kicker Decision; Cutdown Day New 53-Man Roster Projection - LIVE BLOG

A fateful day for many, as the Dallas Cowboys are due to cut to 80 on Tuesday on the way to formulating the 53-man roster that will open the 2022 NFL season. Our latest guesses ...

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are due to cut to 80 on Tuesday on the way to formulating the 53-man roster that will open the 2022 NFL season. 

In anticipation, our latest guesses at that 53 ...and news on other big NFL news ..

FIVE MOVES O In addition to the decision at kicker, the Dallas other roster moves to get to 80 on Tuesday are: linebacker Christian Sam (who was waived/injured), receiver Jaquarii Roberson, cornerback Quandre Mosely and most notably, vet tight end Jeremy Sprinkle, as first noted by ESPN.

See below for the thinking on Sprinkle and Dallas' tight end situation.

LIRIM CUT, MAHER STICKS The Cowboys on Tuesday informed kicker Lirim Hajrullahu that he's out, leaving Brett Maher as the only kicker in camp, as the Dallas News is first to report.

This doesn't mean anything permanent quite yet. But Maher's stronger leg and longer track record is a winner ... for now.

YOUNG TO PUP: Washington Commanders fans have been dealt bad news today after star defensive end Chase Young was placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List.

This means that Young won't count against the 80-man roster and will miss the first four games of the season. … and yes, it’s Washington at Dallas in Week 4, meaning no Young.

Quarterback (2) Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush. We know Ben DiNucci won't make the 53. We think Rush will edge Will Grier. And we wonder if the "gritty'' Grier - who sort of has a groin injury - can land with the team on the practice squad.

Running back (4) Ezekiel Elliott, Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis. Can you keep four? It’s hard to cut Dowdle or Davis, harder still to keep them both. ran well and scored touchdowns against the Chargers. Cowboys will go heavy at RB early in the season.

Wide receiver (6) CeeDee Lamb, Noah Brown, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston. The Cowboys haven't gotten the results from the kids here, and two guys who seem likely to get cut, T.J. Vasher and Brandon Smith, have actually performed just as well as a few who make it. We still cry for the acquisition of a vet wideout. ... but maybe Turpin on offense can help. … while Michael Gallup could start on IR.

Tight end (3) Dalton Schultz, Jake Ferguson, Sean McKeon. Schultz starts, Ferguson plays, and the blocking of Jeremy Sprinkle isn't needed.

Offensive line (8) Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, Terence Steele, Connor McGovern, Josh Ball, Matt Farniok. One easy prediction: The rookie Smith will win the left guard job for the regular season. One tougher prediction: Dallas needs to go get a vet swing tackle.

Defensive line (11) DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong, Neville Gallimore, Osa Odighizuwa, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams, Tarell Basham Quinton Bohanna, Trysten Hill, Chauncey Golston, John Ridgeway. This seems like too many, and the list doesn't even include Carlos Watkins. Could a trade solve the overflow?

Linebacker (5) Micah Parsons, Jabril Cox, Leighton Vander Esch, Anthony Barr, Luke Gifford. The Cowboys have a standout group here.

Defensive back (11) Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, DaRon Bland, C.J. Goodwin, Markquese Bell. The toughest choices of all. Cut Kelvin Joseph, based on his mediocre play? Tough. Cut Israel Mukuamu and Tyler Coyle? Maybe only because they seem more likely to pass through waivers and land back here on the practice squad, that's our guess.

Special Teams (3) Brett Maher, Bryan Anger, Jake McQuaide. We have Maher beating out Lirim Hajrullahu. But a P.S.: If Dallas cuts both kickers (in order to, say, keep Gallup active ... will another team claim one of the legs? Doubtful, so put that sort of transaction trickery in place as well.)

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983 and the Dallas Cowboys since 1990, is the author of two best-selling books on the Cowboys.