After losing a practice squad lineman to the Broncos, Dallas moves quickly to add depth behind an offensive line that has been a rare bright spot in a struggling season.
FRISCO, TX — As the Dallas Cowboys search for answers during their bye week following a frustrating 3-5-1 start, one unit that hasn’t been the primary culprit is the offensive line. In an effort to keep it that way, the team acted swiftly to replenish its depth.
After losing practice squad tackle Geron Christian to the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, the Cowboys signed 6-foot-4, 307-pound offensive lineman Marcellus Johnson to their practice squad on Wednesday, according to the team’s transaction report.
A Proactive Move to Maintain Stability
The Cowboys’ offensive line has been one of the team’s more consistent groups in 2025. It has provided quarterback Dak Prescott with admirable protection, yielding just 15 sacks—the seventh-lowest total in the league. Prescott’s sack percentage of 4.2% is the third-best in the NFL.
However, Prescott has still faced more pressure than desired, with his average time-to-throw of 2.6 seconds ranking a middling 19th among qualifying quarterbacks. The departure of Christian, a seven-year veteran with 63 games and 25 starts of experience, represented a loss of proven depth. The signing of Johnson is a direct response to ensure that depth chart remains intact as Dallas prepares for a crucial Monday Night Football matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Johnson: An Untested Prospect with a Pedigree
While Christian brought a wealth of game-day experience, Marcellus Johnson represents potential. The 2024 undrafted free agent has yet to play a single regular-season snap in the NFL. His professional journey has been a nomadic one, spending time on the practice squads of the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and most recently, the Indianapolis Colts before his release on October 14.
Despite his lack of NFL action, Johnson was once a highly-regarded college prospect. When the Giants initially signed him after the 2024 draft, they guaranteed him $170,000—the most given to any of their undrafted free agents that year. At the time, one NFL insider rated Johnson as “a legitimate NFL player” and graded him “almost as high” as his former Eastern Michigan teammate, Sidy Sow, who was a 2023 third-round pick by the New England Patriots.
A Depth Signing with Long-Term Eyes
For now, Johnson provides a developmental body on the practice squad. It would likely take multiple injuries ahead of him for the 25-year-old to see the field for the active roster this season.
The move is a low-risk, high-reward transaction that characterizes savvy roster management. The Cowboys are betting on their coaching staff to develop Johnson’s raw tools, while simultaneously ensuring they have a necessary body in the building to simulate opponents in practice. In a season where margins for error are thinning, even the bottom of the roster requires careful attention, and the Cowboys have shown they are not willing to stand pat.