The Dallas Cowboys waived cornerback Caelen Carson on Tuesday clear roster space for signing safety Juanyeh Thomas to the active roster from the practice squad, via the NFL transaction wire.
The team also added quarterback Kyle Trask to the practice squad.
Carson, a fifth-round selection (174th overall) out of Wake Forest in the 2024 NFL Draft, leaves after appearing in roughly 15–17 games and making eight starts across three seasons.
Carson entered the league with genuine sleeper buzz.
Some analysts highlighted him as one of the Cowboys’ best late-round values, praising his physical press coverage, route disruption, and inside-outside versatility from a productive Wake Forest career that featured strong pass-breakup numbers.
He drew positive reviews in his first training camp and even earned early praise from owner/GM Jerry Jones and teammates. The hope was that he could develop into reliable depth or more behind established corners.
That trajectory never fully materialized. As a rookie in 2024, Carson started five of the six games he played, recording around 27 tackles and four pass breakups.
However, coverage struggles were evident—he allowed a high completion rate and had difficulty consistently locating the ball or matching NFL receivers.
A shoulder injury further limited him and sent him to injured reserve late in the year.
In 2025, a hyperextended knee placed him on IR to open the season; after activation he played eight games with three starts, adding 17 tackles and two pass breakups, but the same inconsistencies and limited snap share persisted.
By 2026, Carson’s role had shrunk to the margins. He appeared in three games, logging just 17 defensive snaps (mostly in one contest) and one tackle while contributing more on special teams.
Competition from returning and newly acquired corners—including DaRon Bland’s health, Cobie Durant, Shavon Revel, and the trade acquisition of Joey Porter Jr.—pushed him down the depth chart.
Career totals with Dallas sit at approximately 44–45 tackles, six pass breakups, and no interceptions, a modest return for a player once viewed as a developmental upside pick.
The move reflects the Cowboys’ current secondary priorities and need for special-teams help from Thomas, who has been elevated multiple times.
Carson, still only 24, will go through waivers and could land on another team’s practice squad or roster if claimed. His Cowboys tenure stands as a cautionary example of how injuries, early coverage lapses, and roster competition can turn a promising Day 3 sleeper into a short-lived contributor.
