Dallas Cowboys list inactive players ahead of Houston Texans matchup

Ahead of their matchup with the Houston Texans, the Dallas Cowboys have listed their inactive players for the game. Dallas’ defense remains significantly impacted by injuries, and the Cowboys will have their hands full against the Texans.

At 9-3 on the season, Dallas remains in excellent position for a playoff berth.

Philadelphia leads the NFC East by a two-game margin, at 11-1. But Dallas’ 9-3 mark is tied for the third-best record in the NFC, behind Philadelphia and Minnesota (10-2), while matching Kansas City (9-3).

Still, even with the Cowboys sporting a comfortable lead for a Wild Card playoff berth, a win Sunday against the Texans would go a long way toward shoring up a postseason bid.

That will take some doing, though, given the number of Dallas Cowboys inactives on defense.

Cowboys vs. Texans inactive players

Inactive – Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Tolbert, Markquese Bell, Jabril Cox, Chauncey Golston

Inactive – Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, Kurt Hinish, Justin McCray, Troy Hairston, Kyle Allen

NFL active roster rules

NFL teams are allowed to have up to 46 players active on gameday, though roster size limits currently stand at 53 players. The NFL has increased the size of rosters in some ways in recent years as the adoption of a 17th regular-season game took place.

Practice squad sizes have increased from 14 players to 16 players, effective starting with the 2022 season.

Moreover, practice squad limits are a touch less restrictive than they have been in the past. There are four types of players that can fall onto practice squads: players with less than one accrued NFL season (six games on an active roster), players who have been on an active roster fewer than nine regular-season games during their lone accrued season, players who have no more than two accrued seasons and players with any number of accrued seasons.

The league has expanded the number of players in the final category from two to four with the 2022 season, allowing teams to stash a bit more experience in the wings.

NFL teams announce their inactive players each week 90 minutes before game time.

Practice squad players can be elevated up two two times per year before they are required to be signed to the regular roster on the third time. In addition, NFL teams are allowed to elevate up to eight players per season from the injured reserve. Each player can be designated to return from the injured reserve twice per season. Players must remain on the injured reserve for at least four games after being designated before returning to the active roster.