The Cowboys are heading into Sunday with a little more life in the injury department, and that matters because the opponent is no joke. Dallas is set to host the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers, with one win putting the Cowboys right back in striking distance in the NFC East race, matching the New York Giants through 10 weeks.
The biggest boost comes from George Pickens. He sat out the Week 9 win over the Colts because of a hamstring issue, but the signs were trending the right way all week. After back-to-back limited sessions, Pickens got in a full practice on Friday and is now off the injury report, clearing the way for a return to the starting lineup.
Dallas also gets DeMarvion Overshown back. The linebacker missed Week 9 after a back flare-up and a hamstring issue, but he was limited on Wednesday before turning in full practices on Thursday and Friday.
He’s off the injury report now, which gives the Cowboys a needed piece against a San Francisco offense that features Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle. Overshown had splash plays in Weeks 7 and 8 before sitting out against Indianapolis, and Dallas will need that kind of impact again.
The secondary, though, is where the concern starts to pile up. Jalen Thompson is set to miss his seventh straight game, PJ Locke is out, and safety Juanyeh Thomas is doubtful after going from limited on Thursday to a DNP on Friday.
The biggest question mark is DaRon Bland. He popped up on Friday’s injury report with an ankle issue after practicing in full on Wednesday and Thursday, then was downgraded to limited. That makes his status very much up in the air, and it comes at a bad time with Brock Purdy in the conversation as an MVP candidate.
Joey Porter Jr. is at least moving in the right direction. He’s been dealing with a nagging ankle and foot injury that kept him out against the Colts, but Stephen Jones said he had a "really, really good day" on Friday. Porter Jr. did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, then was limited on Friday, so he still has work to do before he’s truly cleared.
For now, the Cowboys can at least point to some encouraging news on the injury front. Pickens is back, Overshown is back, and a few others are trending the right way. But with San Francisco coming to town, Dallas still has plenty to sort out.
In Other News...
Cowboys Got One More Lifeline In The NFC East Race
Washingtons win over the Giants kept the NFC East picture from getting any cleaner, and that matters for Dallas. The division still has a long way to settle itself, with the Giants sitting at 5-3-1, the Cowboys at 4-5 and the Commanders at 3-5-1, which means the race remains messy enough for a team that has spent much of the season playing catch-up.
For the Cowboys, the path forward is still about staying alive long enough for the schedule to give them a chance. The remaining games for Dallas, New York and Washington will go a long way toward deciding whether the division title is still in play or whether the focus shifts more squarely to the playoff picture, and every result from here carries a little extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Just Got A Real NFC East Opening
The NFC East picture tightened a bit after Washington handled the Giants, and Dallas suddenly has a little more room to breathe in a division race that had been tilting away from it. The result narrowed the Cowboys gap in the standings and also showed up in the betting market, where their path to the division title got a noticeable boost while New Yorks outlook slipped.
For a Cowboys team getting ready to face the 49ers in Week 10, the timing matters. Dallas still has a stretch ahead that includes three straight home games and more divisional chances, which keeps the door open if it can take care of business and keep the pressure on the teams above it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Get A Live Test Of Two Recent Trade Decisions
The Cowboys will get a fresh look at two trade decisions when they meet the 49ers in Week 10, with each side carrying a piece of the others roster history into the matchup. Dallas sent Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco in March 2025, while later bringing in linebacker Dee Winters through the 2026 NFL Draft, giving this game a built-in layer of evaluation beyond the usual NFC measuring stick.
Odighizuwa has brought pass-rush value but has also had issues holding up against the run, which makes him worth watching against a Cowboys offense that will want to know what kind of impact he can still make. Winters, meanwhile, has had a mixed start of his own, and this matchup offers Dallas a live test of whether the move made sense on both sides of the ball, even if the fuller answer may not come until after the game. [Read more 🡒]