6 Cowboys Already on the Chopping Block Before OTAs

5. Hunter Luepke, Fullback

When the Cowboys signed Hunter Luepke as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota State, he found himself in an excellent spot as he fought to make the 53-man roster. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder was considered the top fullback prospect in the class but due to the devaluation of the position, he was still undrafted.

In Dallas, he joined a team looking to replace Ezekiel Elliott who was released due to cap concerns. Tony Pollard was the featured back but with no true power back, Luepke had a specific role he could fill.

Not only was he known for being able to move the chains with his legs in short-yardage situations but Luepke was also seen as a matchup nightmare due to his receiving skills. However, he wasn't able to do much with the opportunities he had during his rookie season.

Despite playing in all 17 games, the undrafted rookie had just six rushing attempts for 19 yards and three receptions for 18 yards. He was able to score a touchdown in their win over the New England Patriots but overall had just 3.2 yards per rushing attempt.

Now heading into year two, the Cowboys running back corps looks worse after Pollard's departure but they did bring Elliott back. While Zeke isn't the same player from early in his career, he's more than capable of handling the short-yardage work — evidenced by the 12 touchdowns he had in 2022 for Dallas. That's why Luepke is unlikely to make it to the roster as a sophomore.