(Editor's Note: As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 players who are new to the Cowboys' roster, rookies and veterans alike. We'll continue with outside linebacker Charles Snowden.)
How He Got Here:
After going undrafted in 2021 out of Virginia, Snowden signed with the Chicago Bears as a UDFA where he would play in two games, mostly on special teams. After spending the 2022 season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad, Snowden joined the Raiders ahead of the 2023 season.
Snowden would go on to spend his first year with Las Vegas on the practice squad in 2023 but ended up playing in 16 games and starting nine the following year, posting 39 tackles, three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He followed it up with a career-best three sack year in 2025 while starting nine games again and signed with Dallas in June.
What's Next:
In each of the last two seasons, Snowden has gotten the most snaps of his NFL career and has helped in flashes as a pass rusher and has a big frame (6'7, 240 lbs) that can help set the edge in the run game.
Additionally, Snowden has seen significant work on special teams (231 snaps in the last two seasons) and that could go a long way in him making the roster. He'll of course have to earn his spot at training camp, but the mix of experience, the fact that he's the second-tallest player on the roster, and his ability to contribute in the third phase of the game give him a good chance to compete for a position on the team.
Did You Know:
- Last season, Snowden posted a career high in sacks with three for the Raiders in 15 games played. Snowden played in 15 games for Las Vegas, adding 28 tackles, five tackles for loss and his first career interception.
- Heading into his fifth season in the NFL, Snowden is tied with James Houston and Sam Williams as the second-most experienced pass rusher on the Cowboys' roster.
- Across 45 career games in four years at Virginia, Snowden put up 190 career tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks. In 2020, he capped off his collegiate career by earning second-team All-ACC honors.
