Two Cowboys Are Running Out of Roster Wiggle Room — and One Has Legal Trouble

The Dallas Cowboys have spent the offseason loading up, and that means some familiar names suddenly look like they’re on the outside looking in. With a revamped secondary, a tight end room getting younger, and an organization that’s openly talking about a deep playoff push in 2026, the margin for error has shrunk. Two players in particular — safety Markquese Bell and tight end Luke Schoonmaker — are facing serious pressure to prove they belong.

The safety who might get squeezed out

Bell signed with Dallas in 2022 as an undrafted free agent and actually cracked the starting lineup eight times in 2023. That looks like the high point now. Over the last two seasons combined, he’s started just three games. And the Cowboys haven’t exactly been quiet about upgrading around him.

According to Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, Dallas signed safety Jalen Thompson to a three-year, $33 million deal and used the No. 11 overall pick on Caleb Downs. Both are expected to start Week 1. On top of that, the team restructured Malik Hooker’s contract — a clear sign he’s sticking around. That leaves Bell as the fourth option in a group that now has four legitimate safeties.

Then there’s the off-field situation. Bell was arrested in April in Prosper, Texas, and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and a Class B misdemeanor for marijuana possession, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. The arresting officer reported smelling marijuana during a traffic stop, and a search found less than two ounces of marijuana plus a THC vape pen. The case is still active. For a team that wants to win big in 2026, that’s a complication they may not want to carry into training camp.

The Cowboys haven’t cut Bell yet, and training camp could change things. But with downhill momentum on both the depth chart and in the courtroom, the math is getting harder for him.

Luke Schoonmaker needs to show something soon

Schoonmaker was a second-round pick in 2023, which usually buys a player some patience. But in the NFL, that patience has a shelf life. Over two seasons, Schoonmaker has started 13 games and managed just 41 catches for 373 yards and one touchdown. That’s not the kind of production that makes a coaching staff feel good about keeping you around.

The competition is piling up, too. Jake Ferguson is locked in as the starter. Behind him, the Cowboys have Brevyn Spann-Ford, Princeton Fant, and an undrafted rookie named Michael Trigg who’s been turning heads. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer recently said Trigg can “stretch the field vertically” and make “wow” plays over the middle. That kind of praise from the head coach means something.

There’s also a cap consideration. Overthecap.com lists Schoonmaker’s cap hit at roughly $1.6 million. If Trigg or another young tight end can match that production for a fraction of the cost, the Cowboys have a financial incentive to move on.

Schottenheimer has said publicly that the Cowboys feel solid at tight end, and for now that group includes Schoonmaker. But with a roster that’s getting deeper by the week, solid might not be enough to survive cuts.

The Cowboys are pushing for a run in 2026. That usually means the front office isn’t sentimental about roster spots. Bell and Schoonmaker both have the talent to stick — but the roster math is working against them.