Getty Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys released three players just days before the start of the 2023 NFL draft. Dallas waived tight end Ian Bunting, cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart and linebacker Devante Bond with failed physical designations, per the NFL transaction wire.
Bond is the biggest name of the three cuts as the veteran had previous stints with the Buccaneers and Bears. The linebacker last played in an NFL game in 2020 and sustained a season-ending knee injury during OTAs last June.
“Linebacker Devante Bond, who spent time last year on the practice squad, suffered a serious knee injury in the earlier OTAs and will miss the season once he undergoes surgery, according to multiple sources,” ESPN’s Todd Archer tweeted on June 9, 2022.
The moves open up roster spots in what will be one of the busiest weeks of the year not only as Dallas selects players but signs undrafted free agents. These players will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on either the 53-man roster or practice squad.
All three positions involved in the recent cuts could be areas of interest for the Cowboys as the team looks to bolster their roster with the upcoming draft class. The Cowboys have been linked to the top tight end prospects and could take a serious look at the position with the No. 26 pick. Former starter Dalton Schultz signed with the Texans in free agency as the team continues to look for possible replacement options.
Cowboys Rumors: Dallas Has Been Linked to Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer is one name to watch if the playmaker is still available when the Cowboys are on the clock at No. 26. During a conversation with ESPN’s Matt Miller, one rival scout labeled Mayer a “Jason Witten clone” and does not see Dallas passing on the tight end if he is available.
“‘There is no way in hell Jerry Jones passes up a Jason Witten clone if he’s on the board.’ That’s how one rival scout with over 20 years in the business described this projection,” Miller noted on April 23. “Mayer would be a safety valve in the middle of the field for Dak Prescott; he caught 180 passes for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns over three seasons in South Bend. Mayer is a great run-blocker but also might have the best hands of any pass-catcher in this class.”
The Cowboys Labeled a Potential Draft Day Trade as a ‘Gameday Decision’
Heading into the draft, Cowboys chief executive officer Stephen Jones noted the team is open to making a trade on day one but did not sound optimistic that anything would come to fruition in the first round. Jones described a potential move as a “gameday decision” depending on how the draft plays out early.
“It all depends on how the draft falls,” Jones explained during an April 24 press conference. “Very few trades are done at the back end. Obviously, some are getting done at the front end because they know what they’re going to get themselves in a position for. It makes all the sense in the world, but I just think it’ll be, if you will, a gameday decision in terms of how that thing falls.”