Getty The Dallas Cowboys stand attended for the national anthem before an NFL preseason game.
The Dallas Cowboys added 27 players between draft picks and undrafted free agents, and now it is time for Dallas to start trimming the fat.
The first chunk of the NFL offseason is always about adding members to the roster, whether they’re high-priority free agents or the last player added in an undrafted free agent class. Dallas is no different.
But after an influx of young talent this past weekend, the Cowboys are now releasing another young player, fullback Sewo Olonilua, a 2020 undrafted free agent out of TCU.
“The #DallasCowboys now have two fullbacks on the roster after a former TCU standout was released Wednesday,” the Cowboys’ official Twitter account posted alongside a press release about Olonilua’s getting waived.
The #DallasCowboys now have two fullbacks on the roster after a former TCU standout was released Wednesday. Read more ⬇️
He had been with Dallas for the past two seasons, trying to make his mark in the NFL. Now, he’ll have to find a new team and prove his worth there.
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Olonilua’s Time in DFW
The 24-year-old fullback has been playing football in Texas his entire life, going to school at Kingwood High School in his hometown of Kingwood. Olonilua impressed enough to be rated as a four-star prospect with offers from LSU, Oklahoma and others, per Rivals.
Despite the prominent offers, Olonilua went with TCU and head coach Gary Patterson. The promise of playing time paid off, and the 6-foot-3 fullback immediately made an impact off the bench in his freshman year, contributing 122 rushing yards and a touchdown in 2016.
Over the next three seasons, Olonilua rushed for 1,502 yards and scored 17 touchdowns as a short-yardage specialist. He also brought down 58 receptions for 366 receiving yards and a touchdown over that span.
Dallas signed the former Horned Frog as an undrafted free agent in 2020. NFL.com’s draft profile described Olonilua as a “punishing” runner with considerable room for improvement.
However, he never really got his shot. Olonilua primarily rode the practice squad in his rookie year, getting promoted to the active roster three times but never hitting the field. In terms of preseason play, the fullback didn’t see a snap in 2020 and only two in 2021.
Olonilua suffered a neck injury in the Cowboys’ 2021 preseason opener and was placed on the injury reserve for the rest of the season.
Cowboys Have 2 FBs on Roster
As Dallas mentioned in its tweet, the team now has two players listed at fullback on the roster. The team has 92 players on roster or expected to sign contracts, which means that it still needs to release one more to get to the NFL’s 91-man limit.
The two remaining fullbacks are Nick Ralston and Ryan Nall. Ralston remained on the practice squad for the majority of the 2021 season after signing with Dallas as an undrafted free agent last offseason.
On the other hand, Nall is a veteran free agent coming from the Chicago Bears who made 33 total appearances for the Bears over the past three seasons, making nine catches for 71 yards.
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Cowboys Release ‘Punishing’ Ball Carrier in 1st Roster Move After NFL Draft