The 2018 season was the Dallas Cowboys' 59th in the National Football League (NFL), their 30th under the ownership of Jerry Jones, their 10th playing their home games at AT&T Stadium, and their eighth full season under head coach Jason Garrett. AT&T Stadium also became the first stadium venue to host the annual draft. For the first time since 2009, wide receiver Dez Bryant was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on April 13, 2018 and later signed with the New Orleans Saints on November 7, 2018. For the first time since 2002, tight end Jason Witten was not on the opening day roster, having announced his retirement on May 3, 2018. For the first time since 2010, kicker Dan Bailey was not on the opening day roster, as he was released on September 1, 2018.
The Cowboys clinched the NFC East division following a Week 16 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a week later, improved their 9–7 record from the previous season with a win over the New York Giants.
In the playoffs, the Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 24–22 in the wild-card round and advanced to the Divisional round, where they lost to the eventual NFC champion Los Angeles Rams 30–22, suffering both their sixth straight Divisional playoff defeat and eighth straight road playoff loss. The Cowboys would not return to the playoffs until 2021.
Offseason
Signings Position Player Age 2017 Team Contract WR Allen Hurns 26 Jacksonville Jaguars 2 years, $12 Million WR Deonte Thompson (†) 29 Buffalo Bills 1 year, $1.8 Million OT Cameron Fleming 25 New England Patriots 1 year, $2.5 Million OG Marcus Martin 24 Cleveland Browns 1 year, $880,000 ILB Joe Thomas 27 Green Bay Packers 2 years, $3.6 Million
(†) - Later released
Re-signings Position Player Age Contract C Joe Looney 27 2 years, $2.1 Million LS L. P. Ladouceur 37 1 year, $1.105 Million
Acquisitions Position Player Age 2017 Team Contract Traded away FB Jamize Olawale 29 Oakland Raiders 1 year, $1.54 Million 2018 5th round pick (Johnny Townsend) WR Tavon Austin 28 Los Angeles Rams 1 year, $7 Million 2018 6th round pick (Jamil Demby) WR Amari Cooper 24 Oakland Raiders 2 years, $11 Million 2019 1st round pick (Johnathan Abram)
Departures Position Player Age 2018 Team QB Zac Dysert 28 Unsigned QB Kellen Moore 30 Retired RB Alfred Morris 29 San Francisco 49ers FB Keith Smith 26 Oakland Raiders WR Dez Bryant 29 New Orleans Saints WR Brice Butler 28 Miami Dolphins WR Ryan Switzer 24 Pittsburgh Steelers (via Oakland Raiders) TE James Hanna 29 Retired TE Jason Witten 36 Retired OT Byron Bell 29 Green Bay Packers OT Chaz Green 26 Oakland Raiders OG Jonathan Cooper 28 Washington Redskins DE Benson Mayowa 27 Arizona Cardinals MLB Anthony Hitchens 26 Kansas City Chiefs OLB Kyle Wilber 29 Oakland Raiders CB Bene Benwikere 26 Oakland Raiders CB Orlando Scandrick 31 Kansas City Chiefs K Dan Bailey 30 Minnesota Vikings
Draft
Notes The Cowboys were awarded one fourth-round, two fifth-round and one sixth-round compensatory picks (137th, 171st, 173rd and 208th overall). The Cowboys traded their fifth-round selection (157th overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for the Jets' sixth-round selection in 2017 (191st overall). The Cowboys traded their fifth-round selection (173rd overall) to Oakland in exchange for Oakland's sixth-round selection (192nd overall) and fullback Jamize Olawale. The Cowboys traded their sixth-round selection (192nd overall) to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for wide receiver Tavon Austin.
Undrafted free agents Name Position College Jordan Chunn Running back Troy Jake Campos Tackle Iowa State Malik Earl Wide receiver Missouri State James Hearns Defensive end Louisville Kam Kelly Cornerback San Diego State Bryce Johnson Offensive linemen St. Cloud State Joel Lanning Linebacker Iowa State Austin Larkin Defensive end Purdue Marchie Murdock Wide receiver Iowa State Donovan Olumba Cornerback Portland State Dequinton Osbourne Defensive tackle Oklahoma State Kyle Queiro Linebacker Northwestern Jay Robertson Offensive linemen Tennessee Tyree Robinson Safety Oregon Ed Shockely Linebacker Villanova Dalton Sturm Quarterback UTSA David Wells Tight End San Diego State Charvarius Ward Cornerback Middle Tennessee
Staff
Rosters
Opening preseason roster Dallas Cowboys 2018 opening preseason roster Quarterbacks Dak Prescott Cooper Rush Dalton Sturm Mike White
Running backs Jordan Chunn Ezekiel Elliott Darius Jackson Jamize Olawale FB Bo Scarbrough Rod Smith Trey Williams
Wide receivers Tavon Austin Cole Beasley Noah Brown K. D. Cannon Michael Gallup Allen Hurns Ricky Jeune Lance Lenoir Mekale McKay Marchie Murdock Deonte Thompson Terrance Williams
Tight ends Rico Gathers Blake Jarwin Dalton Schultz Geoff Swaim David Wells Offensive linemen Jake Campos T La'el Collins T/G Kadeem Edwards T/G Cameron Fleming T Travis Frederick C Chaz Green G/T Korren Kirven T Joe Looney C/G Damien Mama G/C Marcus Martin G/C Zack Martin G Tyron Smith T Dustin Stanton G Connor Williams G/T
Defensive linemen Dorance Armstrong Jr. DE Richard Ash DT/DE Taco Charlton DE Tyrone Crawford DE/DT Kony Ealy DE Randy Gregory DE Datone Jones DT/DE Austin Larkin DE DeMarcus Lawrence DE Brian Price DT Lewis Neal DT/DE Daniel Ross DT Joby Saint Fleur DE Charles Tapper DE Jihad Ward DT Antwaun Woods DTLinebackers Chris Covington OLB Tre'Von Johnson MLB Joel Lanning MLB Sean Lee OLB Justin March-Lillard OLB Eric Pinkins OLB/SS Kyle Queiro OLB/SS Jaylon Smith MLB Joe Thomas MLB/OLB Leighton Vander Esch OLB/MLB Damien Wilson OLB/MLB
Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie CB Anthony Brown CB Kavon Frazier SS Jeff Heath SS/FS Marqueston Huff FS Byron Jones CB Kam Kelly CB/FS Jourdan Lewis CB Donovan Olumba CB Tyree Robinson FS/CB Jameill Showers SS/FS Duke Thomas CB Charvarius Ward CB Marquez White CB Xavier Woods FS/CB
Special teams Dan Bailey K Scott Daly LS Chris Jones P L. P. Ladouceur LS Brett Maher K Reserve lists Maliek Collins DT (active/PUP) David Irving DT/DE (did not report) Cedrick Wilson Jr. WR (IR)
90 active, 2 inactive
Week one roster Dallas Cowboys 2018 week one roster Quarterbacks Dak Prescott Cooper Rush Mike White
Running backs Ezekiel Elliott Jamize Olawale FB Rod Smith
Wide receivers Tavon Austin Cole Beasley Michael Gallup Allen Hurns Deonte Thompson Terrance Williams
Tight ends Rico Gathers Blake Jarwin Dalton Schultz Geoff Swaim Offensive linemen La'el Collins T Kadeem Edwards G/T Cameron Fleming T Travis Frederick C Joe Looney C/G Zack Martin G Adam Redmond C/G Tyron Smith T Connor Williams G
Defensive linemen Dorance Armstrong Jr. DE Taco Charlton DE Maliek Collins DT Tyrone Crawford DT/DE Randy Gregory DE Datone Jones DT/DE DeMarcus Lawrence DE Daniel Ross DT Antwaun Woods DTLinebackers Chris Covington OLB Sean Lee OLB Justin March-Lillard OLB Jaylon Smith MLB Joe Thomas MLB/OLB Leighton Vander Esch OLB/MLB Damien Wilson OLB
Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie CB Anthony Brown CB Ibraheim Campbell SS Kavon Frazier SS Jeff Heath SS/FS Byron Jones CB Jourdan Lewis CB Tyree Robinson FS/SS Xavier Woods FS/CB
Special teams Chris Jones P L. P. Ladouceur LS Brett Maher K Reserve lists Noah Brown WR (IR) Parker Ehinger G/T (IR) Marqueston Huff FS (IR) David Irving DT/DE (did not report) Marcus Martin G/C (IR) Jameill Showers SS/FS (IR) Dustin Stanton G (IR) Cedrick Wilson Jr. WR (IR)
Practice Squad Dres Anderson WR Jake Campos T Jordan Chunn RB Treston Decoud CB/FS Lance Lenoir WR Donovan Olumba CB Kyle Queiro OLB/SS Bo ScarbroughRB Aziz Shittu DT Cody Wichmann G
53 Active, 8 Inactive, 10 Practice Squad
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 at San Francisco 49ers L 21–24 0–1 Levi's Stadium Recap 2 Cincinnati Bengals L 13–21 0–2 AT&T Stadium Recap 3 Arizona Cardinals L 3–27 0–3 AT&T Stadium Recap 4 at Houston Texans L 6–14 0–4 NRG Stadium Recap
Regular season
Schedule The Cowboys' 2018 schedule was announced on April 19.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 9 at Carolina Panthers L 8–16 0–1 Bank of America Stadium Recap 2 September 16 New York Giants W 20–13 1–1 AT&T Stadium Recap 3 September 23 at Seattle Seahawks L 13–24 1–2 CenturyLink Field Recap 4 September 30 Detroit Lions W 26–24 2–2 AT&T Stadium Recap 5 October 7 at Houston Texans L 16–19 2–3 NRG Stadium Recap 6 October 14 Jacksonville Jaguars W 40–7 3–3 AT&T Stadium Recap 7 October 21 at Washington Redskins L 17–20 3–4 FedExField Recap 8 Bye 9 Tennessee Titans L 14–28 3–5 AT&T Stadium Recap 10 November 11 at Philadelphia Eagles W 27–20 4–5 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 11 November 18 at Atlanta Falcons W 22–19 5–5 Mercedes-Benz Stadium Recap 12 November 22 Washington Redskins W 31–23 6–5 AT&T StadiumRecap 13 New Orleans Saints W 13–10 7–5 AT&T Stadium Recap 14 December 9 Philadelphia Eagles W 29–23 8–5 AT&T Stadium Recap 15 December 16 at Indianapolis Colts L 0–23 8–6 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 16 December 23 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 27–20 9–6 AT&T Stadium Recap 17 December 30 at New York Giants W 36–35 10–6 MetLife Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Carolina Panthers
Despite a strong showing from the defense, the Cowboys offense only managed to get 8 points and fumbled late in the game, allowing the Panthers to run out the clock. This loss would start the Cowboys season at 0–1.
Week 2: vs. New York Giants
Dak Prescott threw his first touchdown pass of the year to Tavon Austin from 64 yards out on the 3rd play of the game. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for his second touchdown of the year. Brett Maher made his first two field goals as a Cowboy. The defense recorded 6 sacks and a fumble recovery. This win improved the Cowboys to 1-1.
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks
The Cowboys struggled in almost all aspects. Dak Prescott threw 2 interceptions and Ezekiel Elliott had a fumble late in the game. The only highlight was a Tavon Austin touchdown. This loss dropped the Cowboys to 1–2 on the season.
Week 4: vs. Detroit Lions
The Cowboys bounced back from the previous week. Elliott totaled 240 yards and a touchdown. Prescott had 2 passing touchdowns. Geoff Swaim scored the first touchdown of his career. Maher went 4/4 on field goals, including a 38-yarder that won the game as time expired. This win improved the Cowboys to 2–2 on the season.
Week 5: at Houston Texans
The Cowboys controversially punted in overtime and allowed the Texans to take the ball down the field and win the game. This loss dropped the Cowboys to 2–3.
Week 6: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Cowboys found their winning ways and got back on track after losing the previous week. The defense got after Blake Bortles and only yielded 7 points. Cole Beasley put up 101 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. The offense dominated the entire game, and scored 40 points off one of the league's best defenses. This win improved the Cowboys to 3–3 on the season.
Week 7: at Washington Redskins
Brett Maher attempted to kick a 52-yard field goal in the dying seconds to tie the game, but it hit the left upright. This loss dropped them to 3–4.
Week 9: vs. Tennessee Titans
This was Amari Cooper's first game as a Cowboy as he was traded from the Oakland Raiders for a first-round pick, but the Titans pulled away late and won the game. This loss dropped them to 3–5 on the season.
This was also Jason Witten's first return to AT&T Stadium. Witten played as a tight-end for the Dallas Cowboys for some part of the 2000s and much of the 2010s.
Week 10: at Philadelphia Eagles