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FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys released cornerback Reddy Steward from their practice squad on Tuesday, the team announced. No corresponding move was announced with it.
Since he was let go from the practice squad rather than the active roster, Steward does not have to clear waivers. The 25-year-old is a free agent.
The Cowboys first claimed Steward, an undrafted cornerback out of Troy, off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings in August 2025. When they cut down to 53 players this year, he was waived on Aug. 30, went unclaimed, and returned on the practice squad a day later.
Four days before that cut, at The Star in Frisco, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the staff wanted to build a great team rather than just collect talent while it set the roster.
“Can’t speak enough about a guy like Reddy Steward,” Schottenheimer said. “Guy moves from nickel, he plays at safety. He does everything right. He’s intelligent. He’s a great communicator. Those guys are hard to find sometimes.”
Reddy Steward Used All Three Practice Squad Elevations By Week 5
Steward reached the NFL’s limit of three practice squad elevations in Dallas’ third, fourth, and fifth games of the season. He was first called up for Week 3, when Cobie Durant was out with a hamstring injury and Dallas lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. The next two elevations came four days apart, for the Oct. 4 win at the Houston Texans, 34-30, and the Oct. 8 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-16.
Steward started two of the three games, according to the team’s statistics. He made 11 tackles in all, 9 of them solo, with 5 coming against Tampa Bay and 4 in the win at Houston. He has not played since that Thursday night game.
Steward spent the start of the 2025 season on special teams. That September, Schottenheimer met with reporters at The Star.
“You’re going to see Reddy Steward play a lot of football,” Schottenheimer said.
When DaRon Bland got hurt, Steward moved into the defense. He made the first of his five 2025 starts at slot cornerback in Week 5 against the New York Jets, and he played in all 17 games that season. Steward logged 519 defensive snaps and 82 more on special teams, finishing with 63 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 passes defensed, and 1 forced fumble.
Joey Porter Jr. Missed Indianapolis Colts Game With Ankle Injury
Joey Porter Jr. did not play in Sunday’s 27-23 win at the Indianapolis Colts. Dallas ruled the cornerback out with an ankle injury. After the game, Schottenheimer said Porter was dealing with a foot and ankle problem that also involved his heel. Porter came over in an Oct. 1 trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers and made his Cowboys debut three days later in Houston.
Caleb Downs sealed Sunday’s win with his first NFL interception. The rookie has split time between safety and the slot, taking 40 snaps in the slot and 20 at safety in the Oct. 18 game at the Green Bay Packers.
For that Green Bay game, Dallas elevated cornerback Derion Kendrick from the practice squad, according to the team’s website. Kendrick spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.
Durant has been back since late October, after a hamstring injury from Week 2 against the Washington Commanders cost him four games. The Cowboys waived cornerback Caelen Carson on Oct. 20. Bland, Durant, and Porter are three of the five cornerbacks now on the 53-man roster, with another on injured reserve. Kendrick is one of two cornerbacks left on the practice squad.
Dallas (4-5) hosts the San Francisco 49ers (7-1) on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.
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