The Cowboys are already making roster moves to steady the linebacker room before Sunday’s home opener against the Commanders.
With DeMarvion Overshown expected to miss time because of a hamstring injury, Dallas chose the practice-squad route for Week 2. The team elevated linebackers Curtis Robinson and Justin Barron to the active roster, giving itself some much-needed depth at the position. Both players can also help on special teams.
On Friday, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham would wear the green dot while Overshown is out.
Overshown’s injury is only part of the defensive picture coming out of Week 1. Dallas also has to manage the fallout from a rough 20-28 loss to the New York Giants, and the NFL’s fine sheet added another layer to it on Saturday. Javonte Williams was fined $11,941 for what the league called “unsportsmanlike conduct - taunting.”
Outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku was also docked $11,941 for a facemask in the fourth quarter against the Giants, while Overshown was fined $9,527 for a late hit on quarterback Jaxson Dart in the second quarter.
The defensive concerns don’t stop there. The middle of the field is already under the microscope heading into a matchup with Jayden Daniels and the Washington offense, and Dallas’ linebackers and safeties are the obvious pressure points. The Cowboys’ defense struggled in Week 1, and the interior group was hit hard enough that it’s hard to ignore how much improvement is needed right away.
That’s especially true considering Von Miller’s role. Miller made his Cowboys debut in Week 1 and played 11 snaps in the loss, and DeMarcus Ware pointed to him as a potential difference-maker against Washington.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s eighth annual Dirk Nowitzki Foundation Tennis Classic, Ware said Dallas can lean on Miller’s veteran presence and the knowledge he brings from playing for Washington last season. Ware also said he expects Miller’s leadership to matter as the Cowboys try to get back to 1-1 after the opening-week loss.
There’s also the tactical problem of Jayden Daniels himself. Dallas has had issues in the past with mobile quarterbacks, and Week 1 didn’t exactly offer much reassurance. The film work around this matchup points to the same concern: the Cowboys need cleaner play in the middle if they want to keep Daniels from turning the game into another long afternoon.
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Cowboys Could Benefit From The Chargers Tight End Desperation
The Chargers tight end depth has suddenly become a problem, and that sort of roster squeeze tends to send teams searching for help wherever they can find it. With David Njoku and Charlie Kolar on injured reserve, Los Angeles is down to just one healthy tight end on the active roster in Oronde Gadsden, while the other options are practice-squad players who have yet to see game action.
For the Cowboys, that kind of urgency can create an opening. Luke Schoonmaker has surfaced as a possible trade fit for a Chargers team that needs reinforcements, and his place on Dallas depth chart and contract status make him at least worth monitoring. Nothing has been agreed to, but the connection is the kind of situation that can turn a player from roster depth into a name to watch before long. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Win Sparked An AT&T Stadium Buzz Fans Couldnt Ignore
The Cowboys Week 2 win over Washington at AT&T Stadium gave fans plenty to talk about, but so did the sideline presence of Josina Anderson. Her cheetah-print outfit drew a wave of attention on social media during the game, adding an unexpected flashpoint to a night already packed with interest around Dallas and the matchup itself.
Anderson later posted a thank-you message to the Cowboys PR staff after the game, and the response was immediate, with the post drawing more than 100,000 views along with praise from fans and fellow reporters. Dallas left the field with a 37-20 victory, while Washington also had to absorb the blow of Jayden Daniels suffering a serious arm injury, making it a night that carried plenty of conversation well beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Showed Class In A Brutal Rivalry Moment
The late-afternoon trip to Washington turned into another physical chapter in a rivalry that rarely needs much help getting tense. Jayden Daniels went down late in the first half against the Cowboys and was forced out after dislocating the same elbow for the second consecutive season, a reminder of how quickly a divisional game can swing from sharp to severe. Dallas went on to win 37-20, but the bigger picture was the sight of a young quarterback leaving the field in obvious pain.
Dan Quinn confirmed afterward that the injury was a dislocation without fracture, and Marcus Mariota is expected to start until Daniels recovers. For the Cowboys, the moment carried a familiar mix of rivalry and respect, because even in a game with real stakes, there are still lines everyone recognizes. What happens next for Daniels will matter far beyond one November result, and Washington now has to wait on the next update while trying to steady itself at quarterback. [Read more 🡒]