Jerry Jones, Cowboys Make Decision to Waive WR After Signing Von Miller

Jerry Jones and the Cowboys make room for a veteran pass rusher.

by Yagya Bhargava

Aug 17, 2026

NFL linebacker Von Miller

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Cowboys have spent much of the offseason retooling their front seven, and Jerry Jones added another familiar name to that effort this weekend.

Von Miller, one of the more decorated pass rushers of his generation, has agreed to a one-year deal with Dallas worth $5.5 million, with incentives that could push the total to $7.5 million.

The 37-year-old joins a group that already includes Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence, giving the Cowboys another experienced hand to rotate along the edge. The contract is a slight step down from what Miller signed with Washington a year ago.

Former Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller (40) leaves the field after the game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

Even so, his 2025 season suggested he still has plenty left, with nine sacks across 17 games for the Commanders. Over 14 NFL seasons, Miller has piled up 462 solo tackles, 145 assists, 138.5 sacks, nine fumble recoveries and two interceptions, along with eight Pro Bowl selections, a resume that made him an easy call to bring in even at this stage of his career.

Adding Miller meant Dallas had to make room elsewhere on the roster. There had been some thought that running back Phil Mafah, who suffered a chest injury in the team’s preseason win over Seattle, might land on injured reserve to clear the spot. That’s not the direction the Cowboys went.

Instead, The Athletic’s Jon Machota reported that Dallas waived wide receiver Traeshon Holden to make space for the veteran pass rusher.

The move comes after a difficult night for Holden in Seattle, where a muffed punt handed the Seahawks a first-and-goal chance. He had shown promise in practice, but that never fully translated once the preseason games started, and his limited special teams value didn’t help his case.

Those same issues kept him off Dallas’ 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie in 2025, and this time around, he had already slipped behind 2026 UDFA Camden Brown and former Ole Miss WR Jonathan Mingo on the depth chart.