The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their organized team activities this week, allowing the coaching staff a chance to evaluate the roster after the offseason of additions and departures. The offseason program will continue until the mandatory minicamp starting on June 10, followed by the training camp in late July. Throughout this process, the Cowboys will try to trim their 90-man roster down to the final 53-man group.
This means that some tough decisions will have to be made. On top of the pressure on the organization to get back to winning and making the playoffs, there is a financial aspect to long-term roster building. This could result in Dallas parting ways with a veteran or two before the new season.
Donovan Wilson May Still Find Himself Elsewhere Before the 2025 Season
One of the players who could potentially not see Week 1 for the Cowboys is veteran safety Donovan Wilson. Since he was a sixth-round pick back in 2019, Wilson has carved out a consistent and impressive role for himself in Dallas. He eventually earned himself a three-year, $21 million deal in the 2023 offseason. Now entering the final year of that deal, Wilson may find himself out the door before the season, due to that very contract.
Wilson is coming off another solid season, his sixth in Dallas. He started all 17 games for the team, receiving a 62.2 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus. He is a beloved figure in the locker room and among the fans.
At the same time, the savings for the Cowboys might be too much to ignore if they were to cut him. Wilson is set to count $8.65 million against the cap this season, and the Cowboys can save around $7 million if they designate him as a post-June 1 cut.
Wilson is an important part of the secondary, but he is likely overpaid on that deal. Juanyeh Thomas, Israel Mukuamu, and Markquese Bell are all down in the pecking order, waiting for their turn. And they deserve more of a look next season among the crowded defensive backfield.
In order to give them a chance, the Cowboys should seriously consider moving on from Wilson this summer. Whether Jerry Jones will feel the same way remains to be seen.