The two biggest names included on the list of Cowboys roster moves on Tuesday probably didn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who has followed the team through the offseason.
Linebacker Jaylon Smith has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list as a result of the serious knee injury he suffered in his final game at Notre Dame. The Cowboys took Smith in the second round despite that injury and resulting nerve damage that has clouded the outlook for when he’ll be able to play again. It won’t be in the first six weeks of the season as a result of this move, but there never seemed to be an expectation that returning at that point was a possibility.
Quarterback Kellen Moore won’t be back at all this year after being placed on injured reserve. Moore broke his leg earlier this month, bumping Dak Prescott into the No. 2 job and then into the starting role when Tony Romo broke a bone in his back.
The Cowboys also placed tight end James Hanna on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and waived wide receiver Rodney Smith, guard Mike McQueen, guard Dan Buchholz, wide receiver Richard Mullaney, cornerback Arjen Coquhoun and linebacker Henoc Muamba.