Cowboys 53-man roster vs Bengals in Week 14: Three key defensive decisions to come

The Dallas Cowboys have somehow managed to win two games in a row, pushing off the obituary to their 2024 season for a little while longer. Now with a record of 5-7, the Cowboys are still several games out of the final playoff spot, but further distancing themselves from a draft position that gives them a winner’s shot at selecting an impact player next April.

Now stuck in the gooey middle of the NFL hierarchy, the Cowboys have five games remaining to fully define who they are. Proceeding without a franchise quarterback can be freeing in a way. Dak Prescott regularly saved the team from themselves and now with him on IR the defense is starting to step up as they put themselves back together. Week 14’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals will be another opportunity to prove that.

There are expected to be several roster decisions this week. Most notably, there’s a chance that DE DeMarcus Lawrence has his practice window opened. The team will move at least one secondary player, Josh Butler, to IR and potentially Juanyeh Thomas as well. The former is done for the year, the latter for a few weeks.

For now, here’s a look at the 53-man roster, the practice squad member’s remaining elevation eligibility, and the Reserved/Injured list entering Week 14.