The Dallas Cowboys made a quiet but telling roster move late Tuesday, waiving wide receiver Jalen Cropper to create space on the 53.

Cropper, 24, was elevated from the practice squad in Weeks 4 and 5 to help cover for CeeDee Lamb’s ankle injury, then signed to the active roster ahead of Sunday’s loss at Carolina.

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Over that three-game span he logged a limited offensive role but shouldered return duties: one punt return against the Jets, then two punt returns and two kick returns versus the Panthers while KaVontae Turpin was sidelined.

The transaction points to reinforcements on the way.

Dallas expects multiple playmakers back soon, including wideout Jonathan Mingo, who has been trending toward a return. Lamb and Turpin never went to injured reserve as the club aimed to preserve short-term flexibility, and both are on track to rejoin the game-day mix.

Waiving Cropper clears a spot for any one of those injured contributors without forcing a corresponding cut elsewhere.

An undrafted free agent out of Fresno State, Cropper has bounced between the Cowboys’ practice squad and active roster since 2023. He appeared in one game last season, the Week 10 loss to Philadelphia, and earned this year’s look with special teams value and familiarity with the system.

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If he clears waivers, Dallas can bring him back to the practice squad, a likely path given his recent role and the team’s comfort with his versatility.

For the Cowboys, the move is about timing and roles.

With Lamb poised to reclaim WR1 snaps and Turpin resuming return duties, plus Mingo’s potential activation, roster math tightened at the back end of the receiver depth chart. Dallas preserves flexibility for Washington week and beyond, keeps a door open for Cropper’s return on the practice squad, and positions the offense and special teams to get closer to full strength as the schedule turns to division play.