Dallas Cowboys tight end John Stephens Jr. runs with the ball as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Reuben Lowery defends Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Cowboys make first wave of roster cuts with 8 players

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI | By Tyler Reed | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 1:10 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for the start of the NFL regular season, but not before having to do one of the toughest things the front office and coaching staff have to do every season.

Roster cuts are never easy. In order for the Cowboys to get down to a 53-man roster, many will hear the worst news before Tuesday's deadline for roster cuts.

On Monday, the Cowboys officially announced their first wave of cuts, which included 8 players, one of whom was veteran offensive lineman La'el Collins, who, with more than four years of accrued NFL experience, can skip the waiver wire and sign directly with a new team.

The full list of players includes:

Waived
OG Nick Broeker
DT Denzel Daxon
WR Josh Kelly
TE Tyler Neville
CB Troy Pride
TE John Stephens Jr.

Released
OT La'el Collins

Waived/Injury
CB Christian Matthew

There were not a lot of surprises in the first wave of cuts.

The news of Collins' release was revealed on Sunday, and Matthew's unfortunate injury put him in a tough spot.

Expect more roster news to trickle out today and tomorrow. Most teams would rather not drag on such a difficult situation for those waiting to hear about their future. It's never easy, but the job of an NFL player is one that only a select few can claim they have ever done.