Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: EDGE Tyrus Wheat

Contract Status

**Years Left:**1 **2026 Cap Hit:**$1.25 million Wheat is here on just a one-year deal for the league minimum and a small $100k signing bonus. The Cowboys are giving him a low-risk opportunity to compete for a job.

2026 Projections

**Role:**Backup EDGE **Roster Chance:**35% We know that Dallas’ pass rush in 2026 will be led by Donovan Ezeiruaku, Rashan Gary, and rookie Malachi Lawrence. James Houston feels fairly certain for a roster spot as well. If the Cowboys do keep at least one more OLB, which seems likely, Wheat feels fairly competitive for it. His biggest worries will be Sam Williams, who is back on his own one-year deal, and the transitioning Marist Liufau. Williams brings a lot to this down-roster competition. He’s a former second-round pick and was an emerging force on special teams last year. Some feel he could thrive as an OLB instead of the 4-3 DE he’s been playing since 2022. If Williams takes to the new scheme, he might even threaten Houston for time. That would make it very tough to Wheat to break through. We may not have high hopes for Liufau in this move to OLB, but you never know what August will bring. And he’ll still have the versatility to play inside if needed, which is still a question mark for Dallas before camp. If Liufau can hang on as a versatile LB with his own solid special teams ability, that could make him more attractive for a roster spot. Still, Wheat’s special teams value will serve him well in decisions about the bottom of the roster. He also has OLB experience from his college days, so that could help him now in Dallas. As we saw last summer with James Houston, Dallas is more than happy to give the work to whoever’s best suited for it. Houston nearly pushed Williams off the roster in 2025, and Wheat will have every opportunity to beat him out now. Check out our previous player profiles from this series: