The Dallas Cowboys may be forced to make a difficult cut before the start of the season.
The Athletic’s Jon Machota gave his 53-man roster projection prior to their first preseason game and he predicts that the Cowboys will cut sixth-round rookie wide receiver Ryan Flournoy before the start of the season. Machota projects Dallas to go with six wide receivers — CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks and Tyron Billy-Johnson. That would leave Flournoy as an odd man out — although he writes that the Cowboys won’t move on from him so easily.
“The top five are going to be tough for one of the others to beat out,” writes Machota. “The last spot is up for grabs. Ryan Flournoy was a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, so the Cowboys won’t move on from him quickly. He started camp with a knee injury but has returned to practice. It would be extremely difficult to keep more than six, so Billy-Johnson gets the last spot because he has been one of the top wide receivers early in camp.”
The 24-year-old Flournoy was the only offensive skill position player selected by the Cowboys in the 2024 NFL draft. Flournoy recently returned to practice and made his first appearance in pads during training camp on Monday, August 5, as A to Z Sport’s Mauricio Rodriguez notes.
“Flournoy returning to practice is huge for the rookie as at this point he needs the joint practices and preseason games to stand out and secure his spot on the team,” writes Rodriguez. “The Cowboys, who don’t usually bet on small school players, clearly appreciate Flournoy’s traits and while earning a spot on offense will be tough, he’s somebody they want to develop while he contributes on special teams.”
Ryan Flournoy Considered ‘Dangerous Outside Receiver’
Flournoy played at a small school at Southeast Missouri State and posted 57 catches for 839 yards and six touchdowns during his senior season in 2023. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver was called a “dangerous outside receiver” in Derrik Klassen of Bleacher Report’s scouting report of him.
“Flournoy also moves like a dangerous outside receiver,” writes Klassen. “He screams off the line of scrimmage and builds up to a fairly threatening top speed. Not elite speed, but more than enough. Flournoy is also explosive when he knifes up the field, particularly after catching YAC-oriented routes such as slants and shallow crossers.”
Why Ryan Flournoy May Be Cut by Cowboys
The top two receivers — Lamb and Cooks — obviously have their spots solidified. Meanwhile, Tolbert feels like a lock to make the roster considering he’s been working as a starting receiver opposite of Cooks with Lamb holding out due to his contract situation. Turpin is a former Pro Bowler and is the team’s primary returner while Brooks appeared in six games for the Cowboys last season.
Flournoy is likely battling with Brooks and Billy-Johnson for the fifth or sixth receiver spot on the roster. The 28-year-old Billy-Johnson is actually a veteran receiver who has bounced around a number of teams since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He signed with the Cowboys last offseason, was released and was eventually brought back on the practice squad for the entirety of the season.
The LSU and Oklahoma State alum has actually appeared in 26 games during his NFL career, with totals of 23 receptions for 422 receiving yards and three touchdowns. During his rookie season in 2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers, Billy-Johnson posted 20 receptions for 398 receiving yards and three touchdowns while appearing in 31% of the offensive snaps.
While Flournoy has plenty of time to make up ground lost due to his injury, the Cowboys could simply cut him and bring the rookie receiver back on the practice squad if they want a more experienced receiver on the roster.
Considering the Cowboys are lacking proven and experienced receivers beyond Lamb and Cooks, they could very well opt to go with the older and more experienced Billy-Johnson over Flournoy.
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