The Dallas Cowboys made multiple roster moves over the past few days as they prepare for the beginning of the 2024 season.
Although Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has continually stated that the team will be going all-in for a Super Bowl this season and for years to come, the team has chosen to make minor roster changes during this offseason and training camp.
Rather than focusing on completing contract extensions for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, the team is making smaller moves that indicate it expects to have these situations managed in the near future.
The Cowboys have announced six roster moves expected to help the team succeed in the upcoming year.
The Cowboys announced that they officially signed linebacker Nick Vigil, defensive tackle Albert Huggins, and linebacker Darius Harris to the team, though the details of their contracts remain unclear.
These signings provide even more bodies for new Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer to evaluate as he determines which players best complement his scheme.
Zimmer is known for emphasizing a focus on stopping opposing teams’ run games, which Dallas struggled to manage at times during the 2023 season.
Both Vigil and Huggins spent time in their careers working with Zimmer. Vigil played under him with the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, and Huggins spent one month with the Vikings in 2020.
Although Harris has not worked with Zimmer in the past, he spent the first part of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and could bring valuable championship experience to a franchise searching for its first Super Bowl in more than 25 years.
Dallas also had to open up roster spots to accommodate the three new players, resulting in three other moves that allowed Vigil, Huggins, and Harris to join the team.
The first move was waiving rookie undrafted linebacker/defensive end Byron Vaughns.
The second move by the team was shifting defensive tackle Sam Williams, who suffered a torn ACL last week during training camp, to the injured reserve list. Williams will be unable to return this season.
These signings also prompted the Cowboys to place Lamb on the Reserved/Did Not Report list as he continues to negotiate a contract extension.
The return to Dallas is not a concern, as Lamb has already stated that he will not appear at camp until he has an extension. The franchise now has the chance to evaluate an extra player until the star wide receiver returns to the field.
Cowboys Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Owner Stephen Jones recently discussed the ongoing negotiations with multiple team players and said progress has been made in each area, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Although Jones did not provide much information about when Lamb will be back with the team, the expectation is that he will return before the regular season begins with a game against the Cleveland Browns on September 8.