The NFL offseason is a time for bold ideas, and the concept of a 33rd team joining the league has sparked a fascinating thought experiment: a league-wide expansion draft. As outlined by Cam Linh on May 29, 2025, each NFL team, including the Dallas Cowboys, must leave 12 players unprotected, risking their departure to a new franchise. With strict rules—such as protecting players with 0-1 accrued seasons and honoring no-trade clauses like Dak Prescott’s—the Cowboys’ acting GM faces tough choices to safeguard their core while exposing others. From veterans like Miles Sanders to depth players like Damone Clark, who’s on the chopping block, and what does this mean for America’s Team? Let’s dive into this high-stakes scenario and explore its implications.
The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2025 offseason with a 90-man roster brimming with talent but also uncertainty, following a 2024 season that saw them finish 9-8 and miss the playoffs under former coach Mike McCarthy. Now led by head coach Brian Schottenheimer and new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys are reshaping their roster with nine 2025 draft picks, including first-round guard Tyler Booker, and key free-agent signings like running back Javonte Williams. However, the hypothetical expansion draft, as proposed by Cam Linh, forces Dallas to expose 12 players, balancing the need to protect stars like CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, and Dak Prescott (safe due to his no-trade clause) with the reality of a crowded roster. The rules limit the expansion team to selecting two players per franchise, capping total picks at 40, which adds strategic depth to the Cowboys’ decisions.
The Unprotected List: Who’s at Risk?
QB Will Grier: With Dak Prescott locked in and Joe Milton acquired via trade, Grier, a 2023 re-signing, is the third-string quarterback. His 2024 stats—completing 8 of 12 passes for 76 yards in limited action—don’t justify a roster lock. Exposing Grier risks little, as he’s unlikely to make the final 53-man roster.
RB Miles Sanders: Signed in March 2025, Sanders was expected to bolster the backfield but faces competition from rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, both drafted in 2025. Blue’s 4.38 40-yard dash speed and Mafah’s bruising style (234 pounds) outshine Sanders’ 2024 output (589 yards, 3.9 YPC). His $4 million contract could tempt an expansion team.
LB Damone Clark: A 2022 fourth-round pick, Clark started all 17 games in 2023 (70 tackles, 3 TFL) but was benched in 2024 under Zimmer’s scheme. Eberflus’ additions of Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray signal a shift, and Clark’s 2024 stats (42 tackles, 1 sack) don’t secure his spot.
DL Earnest Brown IV: In a stacked EDGE room with Micah Parsons, Donovan Ezeiruaku (2025 second-rounder), and Dante Fowler Jr., Brown IV’s 2024 contribution (12 tackles, 0.5 sacks) is minimal. He’s a low-risk exposure candidate unlikely to crack the 53-man roster.
CB Troy Pride Jr.: Pride saw just 48 defensive snaps in 2024, with no interceptions and limited special teams impact. With DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs, and rookie Shavon Revel Jr., Pride’s expendable.
TE John Stephens: An undrafted gem in 2022, Stephens’ 2023 ACL tear halted his rise. The emergence of Brevyn Spann-Ford and additions like Princeton Fant push Stephens (2 catches, 18 yards in 2024) to the roster’s edge.
OL Hakeem Adeniji: Signed in 2025, Adeniji faces a crowded O-line with Booker, Tyler Guyton, and Tyler Smith. His 2024 performance (3 starts, 2 sacks allowed) doesn’t guarantee a roster spot.
EDGE Tyrus Wheat: Wheat’s one-year deal and 2024 stats (9 tackles, 1 sack) pale against Dallas’ pass-rush depth. He’s a safe exposure choice with minimal long-term impact.
LB Buddy Johnson: A depth linebacker, Johnson’s 2024 role was limited (15 tackles, mostly special teams). With DeMarvion Overshown and Shemar James (2025 fifth-rounder), he’s expendable.
LB Darius Harris: Like Johnson, Harris (11 tackles in 2024) is caught in a numbers game. Exposing him alongside Clark preserves Dallas’ core linebacker depth.
CB Andrew Booth Jr.: A 2024 Zimmer addition, Booth struggled (1 interception, 58.3% completion rate allowed). With a strong secondary, he’s a low-priority exposure.
OT Matt Waletzko: A 2022 fifth-rounder, Waletzko’s minimal 2024 snaps (28) and competition from Terence Steele and Ajani Cornelius (2025 sixth-rounder) make him a roster longshot.
Strategic Rationale
The Cowboys’ selections reflect a calculated approach to protect their core—Prescott, Lamb, Parsons, and 2025 draftees like Booker, Blue, and Mafah (automatically protected as rookies)—while exposing players on the roster bubble. The expansion team’s two-player limit per team reduces the risk of losing critical depth, even at linebacker (Clark, Johnson, Harris) or EDGE (Brown IV, Wheat). Veterans like Sanders and Grier, with cap hits of $4 million and $1.2 million respectively, could appeal to a new team seeking experienced starters, potentially easing Dallas’ $248 million payroll, which ranks 12th in the NFL. Meanwhile, players like Booth Jr. and Waletzko, who underperformed in 2024, face uncertain futures under Schottenheimer’s staff, making them logical risks. Fan reactions on X show mixed sentiments, with some praising the focus on retaining stars, while others worry about losing depth, one user noting, “Sanders could start for a new team, but Blue’s the future.”
Implications and Trade-Offs
The expansion draft’s structure benefits Dallas by limiting losses, but it’s not without risks. Losing Sanders could strain the backfield if Blue or Mafah falter, though Javonte Williams’ 2024 performance (712 yards, 4.2 YPC) provides a safety net. At linebacker, Clark’s departure might weaken run defense (Dallas ranked 20th, allowing 4.6 yards per carry), but Overshown’s return and Murray’s addition mitigate this. Financially, shedding Sanders or Grier could free up cap space to extend Parsons, whose $21.3 million cap hit in 2025 is the final year of his rookie deal. However, an expansion team might prioritize younger players like Booth Jr. or Stephens for upside, leaving Dallas’ veteran depth intact. The Cowboys’ draft-and-develop philosophy, highlighted by UDFA successes like Brandon Aubrey and KaVontae Turpin, supports their confidence in replacing exposed players.
The broader NFL context adds intrigue. With contenders like Kansas City and Philadelphia reloading, a new team would need immediate contributors, making Sanders or Clark prime targets. Conversely, Dallas’ focus on youth—evident in their 2025 draft class, graded A- by NFL.com—positions them to absorb losses without derailing their playoff hopes. The Cowboys’ $78 million in projected 2026 cap space, per OverTheCap, further cushions potential roster hits, allowing aggressive free-agent pursuits if needed.
This hypothetical expansion draft forces the Cowboys to make tough calls, exposing 12 players like Miles Sanders and Damone Clark while protecting their championship core. The strategic balance—leveraging the two-player limit and prioritizing youth—positions Dallas to weather potential losses, but the risk of a new team snagging key depth looms large. Will an expansion franchise reshape the Cowboys’ roster, or can Dallas emerge unscathed? As the offseason unfolds, this thought experiment fuels debate about roster priorities and the NFL’s future.