FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys waived rookie wide receiver Anthony Smith on Sunday, ESPN’s Todd Archer reported. Undrafted rookie Camden Brown made the initial 53-man roster.
Archer wrote that Smith is a practice squad candidate if he clears waivers. Smith has no accrued NFL seasons, which puts him on the wire rather than into free agency, and claims across the league are due at noon CT Monday.
Anthony Smith’s Rookie Preseason In Dallas
Dallas selected Smith at No. 218 overall in April, the second pick of the seventh round and the final selection of seven in the 2026 draft. This pick was acquired through a trade with the Tennessee Titans. Only two of those seven went to offense, Smith and Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton.
He wore No. 83 during camp and was a starting receiver against the Arizona Cardinals. In two preseason games, he caught 4 passes for 46 yards. Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News reported that Smith took the final rep of the Cowboys’ last training camp practice and scored on it, a throw from Joe Milton III.
Smith joined East Carolina in 2024 after spending four seasons at North Carolina State. In 2025, he recorded 64 receptions for 1,053 yards and 7 touchdowns, earning first-team All-American Conference honors. He concluded his college career with 156 yards, 2 touchdowns, and was named MVP in the Military Bowl, which ended in a 23-17 win over Pittsburgh.
Camden Brown Makes The Initial 53-Man Roster
Brown signed after the 2026 draft as one of 11 undrafted free agents, on a three-year contract worth $3 million.
Brown led the Cowboys in receiving yards in both preseason games he played. Against the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 15 he caught 3 passes for 62 yards, taking a 39-yard throw from Sam Howell and a 2-yard throw from Milton to the end zone. Milton spoke about the second one after the game.
“It was great, man, just to see a rookie come in, undrafted, and to make a catch like that, especially one-handed, for sure,” Milton said.
A week later in Arizona, on third-and-3 from the Dallas 29, Milton rolled left and connected with Brown for a 70-yard gain to the Cardinals’ 1-yard line. Brown ended the preseason with 5 catches for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer talked about Brown during training camp in Oxnard, California.
“Cam’s done a really, really good job,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s done it every day. But again, I think it’s a little bit cart before the horse.”
Watkins kept Brown on his fourth 53-man roster projection of the summer and had Smith headed for the practice squad.
Auburn had Brown for three seasons, from 2022 to 2024, where he caught 26 passes for 289 yards and scored 3 touchdowns. He then transferred to Georgia Southern for 2025. That season, he led the nation with 14 receiving touchdowns, setting a school record, and became the first Eagles receiver to surpass 1,000 yards in a season, finishing with 65 catches for 1,079 yards.
Dallas cut veteran receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling on Sunday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported. Valdes-Scantling signed in Dallas on April 27. Eight NFL seasons make him a vested veteran, so he reaches free agency immediately instead of the waiver wire.
