Cowboys Make Changes to Their Playoff Roster, Cutting Another Receiver

The Dallas Cowboys made several roster moves ahead of the NFL playoffs.

Tyron Billy-Johnson, a wide receiver, was one of four players cut by the Dallas Cowboys prior to the NFL playoffs.

Additionally, Dallas released defensive lineman Willington Previlon, guard Adam Pankey, and wide receiver

Martavis Bryant.

Due to these actions, the Cowboys were able to add offensive lineman La’el Collins and linebacker Damien Wilson to

their practice squad roster. Additionally, Dallas signed running back SaRodorick Thompson and receiver Racey

McMath.

Before the regular season began, Billy-Johnson signed a contract with the Cowboys practice squad. This season, the

veteran did not play a single snap for Dallas.

Given Dallas had only signed the former Steelers wide receiver in November, Bryant’s dismissal caught everyone off

guard. Given that the NFL ruined his career by suspending him indefinitely, the veteran still has a lot of upside.

Before joining the Cowboys, Billy-Johnson had brief spells with the Chargers, Jaguars, Raiders, and Texans. He is

somewhat of an NFL journeyman. With Los Angeles in 2020, the receiver had his greatest season with 20 catches for

398 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.

Teams have to make some tough choices before the NFL playoffs begin. It’s obvious that the Cowboys think McMath,

a former receiver for the Titans, is a better match for the postseason.

In the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft, Tennessee chose McMath. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com gave this description

of McMath after he graduated from LSU.

In his pre-draft evaluation of McMath, Zierlein wrote, “He’s big, strong, and fast, but McMath lacks the necessary

position fundamentals to be labeled anything more than a project with enticing core special-teams potential.”

“As a route runner, he lacks the necessary balance and salesmanship, but when working through contested catches

between the numbers, he has plenty of size, body control, and attention. He could be selected in the late rounds due

to his special teams record and attributes.

This leads us to the question that a lot of Cowboys supporters have: what happened to Bryant? According to Patrik

Walker of DallasCowboys.com, Bryant did not develop as swiftly as Dallas had hoped. Since 2018, Bryant has not

participated in an NFL snap.

“In addition to having one of the greatest names to ever appear on an NFL roster, Riley McMath will take over

Martavis Bryant’s practice squad duties,” Walker wrote in a piece published on January 4, 2024 under the heading

“IMPACT: Collins, Wilson reunite with Cowboys.” After weeks of coaching and development, things didn’t go as

planned for the latter, and the Cowboys must go into the postseason with the best choices available for depth at every

position.

They feel McMath, a former sixth-round pick of the Titans out of LSU, is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound wide receiver with

plenty of speed and built similarly to Bryant, which is telling of what the Cowboys are looking for there. “Their cup

currently runneth over at wide receiver, but you can never have enough quality ones on the roster,” the statement

reads.

This does not exclude Bryant from joining the Cowboys again in the future. According to Calvin Watkins of the

Dallas Morning News, the franchise intends to have Bryant return for the upcoming campaign. With these personnel

changes, the Cowboys are temporarily concentrating on the NFL playoffs.

Cowboys Cut Another Receiver Amid NFL Playoff Roster Moves