AFC South team poaches LB from Cowboys’ practice squad

Poaching, Explained

By rule, NFL teams can sign players off other teams’ practice squads at any time, provided the signing team adds them to its 53-man active roster. This is both a blessing and a curse for players and teams.

For players like Buddy Johnson, it’s an opportunity to secure a spot on a team’s main roster, get paid more, and potentially contribute on Sundays.

For the Cowboys, however, it means losing a player they invested time in developing, without any real chance to prevent it.

The only way Dallas could have kept Johnson would’ve been to promote him themselves, which they were not prepared to do at this stage.

This system is designed to give players upward mobility and prevent teams from hoarding talent, but it comes at the cost of depth for organizations that already feel stretched thin due to injuries.

For the Cowboys, Johnson’s departure is a reminder that the practice squad is never truly safe from other clubs looking to fill roster needs.

Lacking Depth

On the surface, losing Johnson won’t dramatically change the Cowboys’ gameday lineup. He was not elevated for a regular-season contest, and Dallas still has its main linebacking trio intact.

However, the long NFL season is unforgiving, and linebacker is one of the most physically demanding positions on the field.

Johnson’s presence on the practice squad represented a safety net in the event of injuries, especially with how often linebackers are asked to play special teams and take on heavy contact.

Now, if a starter or key rotational player were to miss time, the Cowboys will have fewer internal options to lean on.

That forces the front office to either promote a less seasoned practice squad linebacker or look externally for reinforcements.

While the loss might not sting today, it could create complications later in the season when roster flexibility becomes more critical.

A Corresponding Move

To balance the roster after losing Johnson, the Cowboys made a corresponding move by signing WR Parris Campbell to the practice squad.

Campbell, a speedy veteran, was with the team earlier this year but had been released a few weeks back.

His return brings familiarity to the locker room and provides another potential offensive weapon should injuries hit the wide receiver group.

Campbell’s addition may also be viewed as a proactive step for Dallas.

With the offense already stretched thin at times due to injuries along the offensive line and at wideout, Campbell offers insurance at a position where experience matters.

His ability to stretch the field vertically could give Dak Prescott and the coaching staff another dimension if he earns a promotion later in the year.