The Dallas Cowboys have re-signed rookie wide receiver Anthony Smith to their practice squad after waiving the seventh-round pick during final roster cuts.
Smith, selected 218th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft out of East Carolina, cleared waivers and returns to the organization that drafted him.
The move keeps the 6-foot-2, 197-pound receiver in the building as Dallas finalizes its 16-man practice squad following Sunday’s trim to 53 players. Cowboys reporters had flagged Smith as a priority practice-squad target if he went unclaimed.
Last season at East Carolina, Smith produced 64 receptions for 1,053 yards and seven touchdowns, earning first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors. He averaged 16.5 yards per catch and added a 45-yard rushing touchdown.
The year before, in his first season after transferring from NC State, he posted 41 catches for 799 yards and six scores. Across two years as a starter for the Pirates, he totaled 105 receptions, 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also earned Military Bowl MVP honors after a 156-yard, two-touchdown performance against Pittsburgh.
Dallas used a late-round pick on Smith because of his size, 4.45-range speed and production after a slow start at NC State, where he barely saw the field in four seasons.
In camp and the preseason, he showed flashes but finished with modest numbers (a handful of catches for under 50 yards) while undrafted rookie Camden Brown earned a 53-man roster spot with stronger special-teams and practice work.
The Cowboys kept six receivers on the active roster, including CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo and Brown.
Practice-squad placement is a common path for late-round receivers in Dallas. The team has a history of developing similar players—Ryan Flournoy among them—and can elevate Smith up to three times during the season if injuries or matchups create a need.
At 24, with six years of college experience, he is older than a typical rookie and should be able to contribute quickly on scout-team work and special teams.
The Cowboys are still assembling the rest of the practice squad, with other recently waived players such as tight end Michael Trigg and linebacker Justin Barron also expected back.
Smith’s return gives the offense another body who already knows the playbook and has shown he can stretch the field.
For a seventh-round pick who posted 1,000-plus yards in his final college season, the practice squad is a logical next step rather than the end of the line.
