Dallas Cowboys make multiple moves as roster cutdowns begin

The Dallas Cowboys released a number of players on Sunday evening, as NFL teams across the league have to trim their rosters to 53-players before the season. The process will be completed in multiple waves before Tuesday at 4:00 PM EST. The most notable player that was released was former Texas Tech star T.J. Vasher, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. He had rare length with an 84 3/8-inch wingspan and also made the best catch of training camp in Oxnard, California.

Gehlken also reported a number of other players being released, including center/guard James Empey, offensive tackle Amon Simon, and defensive end Markaviest “Big Kat” Bryant. Simon was an undrafted rookie out of Texas A&M Commerce. He helped block for Aaron Shampklin in the Cowboys’ preseason finale against the Seahawks.

Empey displayed versatility for the Cowboys in the preseason, working at right guard and center. The BYU product cleared a path for Malik Davis’ 6-yard run in a fourth quarter touchdown drive vs. the Denver Broncos.

Bryant recorded a sack this preseason for Dallas in their second preseason matchup vs. the LA Chargers.

Big Kat Bryant played for Auburn and UCF before signing as an Undrafted Free Agent with the Dallas Cowboys this year

Coming out of high school, Bryant was rated as a four-star prospect, according to the On3 Consensus Rankings for the 2017 cycle. While he didn’t get drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft, he’ll still got his chance to make his mark as an undrafted free agent.

Last season for the UCF Knights, Bryant started all 13 games, earning first team All-AAC honors from the league’s coaches. He led the team with 14 tackles for loss and ranked tied for second in the AAC with 1.08 tackles for loss. Bryant also led the Knights in sacks with six on the season. Pro Football Network named him the AAC Defensive Lineman of the Year and the AAC Newcomer of the Year. One of his best games on the season came when he totaled six tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, a breakup, and a quarterback hurry against the Memphis Tigers on Oct. 22.

In 2020, during his final season with the Auburn Tigers, Bryant was named second team All-SEC. In 2019, he tallied 16 tackles for them, including two tackles for loss, and nine quarterback hurries. In 2018, Bryant scored on a 20-yard interception return against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Music City Bowl.

As a high school prospect, he put up big-time numbers his senior year–racking up 102 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, and 15.5 sacks. Bryant also played in the Under Armour All-America Game and he was one of the highest rated prospects in the country. According to the On3 Consensus Rankings, he was rated as the No. 23 edge prospect in America. Bryant also lettered in basketball and track when he played for Crisp County (Cordele, Georgia).