The NFL cutdown date is at 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 26, and that is when teams will need to reduce their roster from 90 players down to 53. The Dallas Cowboys have several tough decisions to make, especially at running back, wide receiver, linebacker, and slot cornerback.

Getting down to 53 players will be a challenge, and we should expect multiple players who Dallas releases to get claimed by other teams.

But the one decision that the Cowboys will likely agonize over is whether or not they can afford to keep James Houston on the roster. The veteran defensive end was signed early in camp, but has outproduced expectations all across the way.

Cowboys DE Justin Houston’s performance shows that he should be on roster

You can make a strong case that the defensive end position is the strongest on the roster. Micah Parsons is still expected to play in Week 1, and we know just how dominant he can be. Dante Fowler was signed to play opposite him, and the hope is that the duo of Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams can help stop the run.

And then there is Donovan Ezeieruaku, a second-round pick from Boston College, who had a fantastic camp. That brings the total to five defensive ends and doesn’t even include players like Payton Turner and Tyrus Wheat, both of whom have flashed during camp and the preseason.

But Houston has done everything right so far with the Cowboys. He was initially brought in to be a depth signing, especially once it was known that Parsons was going to hold in. However, no one could expect him to look this good, and his pass-rushing abilities in the preseason were hard to ignore.

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There is no doubt that Houston’s talent says that he deserves to be on the roster. And the fact that he did play on special teams during Friday’s preseason game suggests he does have a path to the roster. However, can the Cowboys really afford to keep six defensive ends, especially with so many injuries at running back and defensive back?

The Cowboys have to know that if they were to waive Houston, he would be claimed by another pass-rush-needy team. It’s just not feasible to assume he’ll make it to the practice squad. And that’s why this is such a difficult decision.

If Parsons were to sign a long-term extension this week, there is a good chance that there wouldn’t be a need for a sixth defensive end, and the Cowboys would be fine moving on from Houston. But with the status of Parsons still up in the air, it would be wise to keep Houston on the roster for at least a few weeks.

It’ll be fascinating to see how the Cowboys handle the 53-man roster, but there is no doubt that Houston deserves to make the team. Will it happen? Time will tell, but he’s certainly made the most of every opportunity this offseason.