BREAKING: Three Cowboys who will lose to a rookie in the NFL Draft for a roster spot

There’s absolutely little question that the Dallas Cowboys will make significant roster adjustments in 2024. Dan Quinn’s departure as the Commanders’ head coach and Dallas’ reunion with Mike Zimmer as their new defensive coordinator have already occurred. What roster moves may this squad make to help them go past the figurative hump?
To begin with, the Cowboys will need to assess which players on the present roster are “anchors,” meaning those who are causing this team to struggle. Over the years, the Cowboys have shown a great deal of commitment to a number of players, and this loyalty has been both disgusting and admirable. They haven’t always been able to make the difficult choices when they needed to, and they have occasionally made needless sacrifices at the worst possible time (trade of Amari Cooper).

The Cowboys may adopt a more “instant impact” approach to the 2024 NFL Draft, which could jeopardize some players’ roster positions, following a comparatively lackluster rookie class in 2023.

1. Golston, Chauncey, DL
As I mentioned previously, Chauncey Golston is a prime illustration of the Cowboys’ loyalty to guys. For the Cowboys, this former third-round pick has actually not produced much. In fact, the organization had to replenish on the defensive line to make up for his lack of progress as a former top-100 pick.

Despite the Cowboys’ obvious need for help on the defensive line, Golston hasn’t reached 1,000 career snaps in three NFL seasons. Perhaps he hasn’t been a perfect fit for Dan Quinn’s style of play, but going into his 2024 contract year, I wouldn’t be surprised if Golston is dealt or cut this summer, giving room on the team for a rookie.

2. Receiver Michael Gallup
Michael Gallup, the wide receiver, is one of the most disappointing Cowboys players in recent memory, in my opinion. Although it might seem harsh, that’s definitely reasonable considering the circumstances surrounding him.

After observing Gallup play like the perfect NFL wide receiver in his first few seasons in the league, the Cowboys decided to give him an extension. In just his second NFL season, he had 1,107 yards, and it seemed like the Cowboys could trust on him to keep becoming better as a player because of his apparent good trajectory.

That was not the case.
In 2022, the year they opted to trade Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns, the Cowboys awarded Gallup an extension. Regarding January football, the Cowboys may have paid a price for selecting Gallup over Cooper. It’s obvious that Cooper is a different caliber of player than Gallup, and the Cowboys made the wrong call in selecting him.

If the Cowboys make him a post-June 1 cut, which I believe they very well could do based on what transpires in the 2024 NFL Draft, they could save $9.5 million. If the Cowboys are willing to take the chance, they might let Gallup leave this spring as well, but it might not happen before the draft.

In any case, going with a rookie and using the cap savings on Gallup—who only managed 34 receptions in 17 games the previous season while playing for one of the league’s most productive passing offenses—might be the best course of action for Dallas.

3. The DB Nahshon Wright
The Dallas Cowboys defense will see a lot of intriguing reorganization, but defensive back Nahshon Wright is another prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft class whose spot on the roster might be usurped by a rookie.

When Dan Quinn was in the NFL, the Cowboys targeted a lot of tall, lanky defensive backs. They fired a lot of darts at players who fit that description, and he is a “type” at the position. Sadly, Nahshon Wright has no motive to stay this season because things haven’t worked out well enough.

If Quinn was his greatest ally, then that ally is no longer inside the structure. If he could sign with Washington after being released by the Cowboys, maybe he would have a greater chance to play. Despite his potential, he only saw 50 defensive snaps in the previous campaign.
Wright has established a role on special teams, as you would expect from a guy of his height and speed, but will it be sufficient to keep him in the fold if the Cowboys choose a player in 2024 who is more likely to contribute defensively?

In 2024, we might witness a number of former top-100 picks leaving Dallas.