The Dallas Cowboys are heading into one of their toughest early-season tests with a shorthanded defense, and the list of absences is already heavy before they even leave for Brazil.
Dallas has officially ruled out four defensive starters for Sunday’s matchup with the Baltimore Ravens: linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, cornerback Cobie Durant, safety Malik Hooker, and safety P.J. Locke. Overshown is dealing with a hamstring injury, and because the team is chartering to Brazil on Thursday night, all four players will miss the international trip entirely.
The timing is especially rough for a Cowboys team that sits at 1-1 after two very different performances to open the 2026 NFL season. They started with a frustrating 28-20 road loss to the New York Giants, then answered with a dominant 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders in their home opener at AT&T Stadium.
Now comes a far bigger challenge, and the Cowboys are taking it on without key pieces in the secondary and at linebacker. Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham and cornerback Shavon Revel are expected to move into starting roles.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer had sounded cautiously hopeful earlier in the week when discussing the injured defenders. He said, “Got to get through the week… but I’m not saying ‘no'”.
In the end, the medical staff made the call that none of the four were ready to travel. And against a Ravens team already difficult enough to handle with a full lineup, Dallas is now facing that task with four starters already out of the picture.
In Other News...
Ravens-Cowboys Brazil Trip Suddenly Comes With A Serious Field Concern
The Ravens Week 3 trip to face the Cowboys at Maracan Stadium in Rio de Janeiro was supposed to be one of the more intriguing items on the early-season calendar, but the conversation has shifted to the field itself. Heavy rainfall and a packed soccer schedule have left noticeable bumps and wear on the grass, creating a concern that matters to both sides long before kickoff in Brazil.
The NFL says it is confident the surface can be managed, and maintenance work is already underway to help reinforce it ahead of the game. Still, for Baltimore, the bigger picture is easy to see: a showcase matchup in a famous venue is only as good as the ground beneath it, and the coming days will determine whether this one feels like a marquee event or a slog. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Quarterback Search Takes A Turn Ravens Fans Should Notice
The Giants quarterback search has picked up another layer of intrigue after a season-ending injury forced them to sort through both the short term and the bigger picture. Jameis Winston is set to start for now, but New York is still evaluating depth behind him, and the coaching staff has kept the door open to just about every possibility as it looks for stability at the position.
One name that surfaced in the discussion was Joe Milton, though Josina Anderson reported that he remains on the Cowboys practice squad and that the Giants have not made any formal move to bring him in. For Ravens fans, it is the kind of NFC roster churn worth tracking because any quarterback shuffle in New York can ripple through the league conversation, especially with a divisional-style urgency attached to teams trying to protect themselves from being left thin behind center. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Have A Costly Problem That Already Changed Two Games
Through two weeks, the Ravens have already found themselves buried by flags in a way that has gone beyond the usual early-season frustration. Their penalties have wiped out productive snaps and tilted field position against them, leaving Baltimore with one of the leagues worst early penalty profiles and a bigger problem than simply playing sloppy football.
The impact has shown up in real moments, too, including in the Week 2 loss to New Orleans, where several costly calls undercut scoring chances. Some of those flags have also drawn eyebrows, which only adds to the sting for a team trying to settle in on offense while waiting for the officiating breaks that have not come so far. [Read more 🡒]