Dallas cut to 53 and now faces waivers with 16 spots on the practice squad. Three stash targets stand out: Damien Martinez, C.J. Okoye and Zacch Pickens. Martinez is a local Lewisville product who flashed in the preseason for Seattle and could be kept as a development piece behind the Cowboys’ backs. Okoye, a 6'6", 370-pound former Raven, could be grabbed on waivers or signed to the practice squad, leveraging the International Pathway Program exemption to carry a 17th player. Pickens, a Bears 2023 third-rounder, adds interior DT upside if he lands in Dallas' rotation.

These moves would shape depth for a defense that needs rotational DTs and a young backfield option behind Pollard. Martinez’s power and local ties give him favorable odds to slip to the practice squad, Okoye’s size makes him a waiver target, and Pickens carries the potential to contribute sooner in a system that values disruptive interior play. Dallas could also wait for the noon deadline and then poach from other teams for the practice squad.