The Dallas Cowboys were hoping to sneak defensive back Julius Wood through waivers and onto their practice squad, but the Miami Dolphins were paying close attention to the waiver wire Sunday and Monday.
The Cowboys lost Wood, who was released as one of their final cuts Sunday, when he was claimed by the Dolphins on waivers Monday.
Wood was one of seven players the Dolphins claimed off waivers Monday and one of two the Cowboys lost to other clubs — guard Trevor Keegan was also claimed, by the Minnesota Vikings.
The Cowboys also released quarterback Joe Milton, whom they’d acquired along with a seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots for a fifth-round draft pick last April.
The Cowboys Lost Julius Wood to the Dolphins
Wood had a huge preseason, posting 16 tackles in the Cowboys’ three preseason games while starting their second exhibition game against the Arizona Cardinals.
He played 104 snaps on defense and 18 more on special teams, earning an 82.3 grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance against the Seattle Seahawks. He then posted a 75.5 grade from PFF in the Cardinals game, leading the Dallas defense with five tackles, including one on special teams.
Wood did leave the Cardinals game with a concussion, but the head injury wasn’t serious enough to keep him out of the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints. In that game, he had four tackles while playing 38 snaps in a 27-24 New Orleans win.
But it wasn’t enough to earn him even a backup spot among Dallas safeties, a group that features veterans Malik Hooker and Jalen Thompson as starters and P.J. Locke and Alijah Clark as backups.
His performances did turn heads, though — including on one of the least-talented rosters in the league. The Dolphins had a dreadful preseason, going 0-3 and getting outscored 63-22, the league’s worst preseason point differential.
But not only did Wood land on the Dolphins, he made their 53-man roster. He can play special teams and also earn playing time at safety.
Julius Wood Was in his Second Tour With the Cowboys
Wood was already in his second tour with the Cowboys. He was initially signed as an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina but was picked up by the Tennessee Titans off waivers as part of Dallas’ final cuts in 2024.
He spent the 2024 season with the Titans, posting two tackles in nine games while playing 115 special-teams snaps and five snaps on defense. He was suspended six games for a positive performance-enhancing-drug test, then was placed on waivers as part of the Titans’ final cuts before the 2025 season.
The Cowboys added him to their practice squad last October, but he never got elevated to the active roster at any point last year — even though the Cowboys defense ranked 32nd in the league in points allowed (30.1) and 30th in overall defense (377 yards allowed per game).
Cowboys Lose Breakout Preseason Standout DB to Dolphins on Waivers