Cowboys Announce Release Of 23 Players, Roster Trimmed To 53

Posted Aug 31, 2012

IRVING, Texas – As head coach Jason Garrett said, cut down day is the most difficult of the year for players and coaches, but not only because it’s difficult to deliver bad news.

Garrett and his staff did most of that on Thursday, collecting the majority of the iPad playbooks belonging to those players who have been released. But Friday is no less difficult, as personnel people throughout Valley Ranch consider whether or not they’ve made the right moves to build the best possible team.

Early Friday, the Cowboys completed a trade with Miami, adding veteran offensive lineman Ryan Cook.

The Cowboys decided to waive North Texas rookie tailbacks Lance Dunbar and Jamize Olawale, who unlike 21 other players, were not asked to turn in their playbooks Thursday. Both players would likely be practice-squad candidates.

The team is still believed to be in the market for help on offense, and could look to add a tight end via a waiver claim on Saturday morning, with starter Jason Witten a question mark for the season opener at New York due to his spleen injury. If that happens, the Cowboys will indeed have to make yet another cut, and it’s possible McGee could be the next to go. But like 52 others, he’s still standing through this wave of cuts.

Here are Friday’s roster cuts:

OL Jeff Adams

LB Baraka Atkins

DT Ben Bass

WR Tim Benford

NT Robert Callaway

QB Rudy Carpenter

WR Danny Coale

RB Lance Dunbar

FB Shaun Shapas

DT Clifton Geathers

OL Harland Gunn