The Cowboys are heading into Sunday with a defense that could look a little different, and a rookie who may be asked to return to the role the staff originally had in mind.
Caleb Downs has been playing mostly at safety over the last two games because of injuries in Dallas’ secondary, but Brian Schottenheimer made it clear that isn’t the long-term plan for the first-round pick. “That’s not the design for Caleb,” Schottenheimer said this week. “We want Caleb down near the line of scrimmage.”
That shift could happen against the Green Bay Packers.
Dallas is also leaning on a new voice on the defensive side. Mike Pettine is now the senior defensive assistant, and the veteran coach is stepping into a role aimed at helping a unit that has been searching for answers. Pettine said the transition has been fast, but he’s embracing it.
“I’m just obviously trying to hit the ground running here,” Pettine said. “I feel like I’m trying to sip water from a firehose but trying to get caught up on all the film and make observations here and there. But I’m just here to support him, and both him and [head coach Brian Schottenheimer] and the rest of the defensive staff, in any way I can.”
Pettine had first been approached about joining the staff in the winter, before he announced his retirement. He later visited the Cowboys in the spring and spent a few days with the coaches. During games, he’ll work from the booth while Christian Parker stays on the sideline.
The Cowboys’ injury picture is also part of the equation this week. Cornerback Cobie Durant and backup offensive tackle Drew Shelton were both ruled out on Friday, each dealing with hamstring injuries. Durant will miss his fourth straight game, while Shelton is out for a second consecutive week.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is less certain. Schottenheimer called him a “long shot” to play because of his hamstring issue, but he was officially listed as questionable after limited practices on consecutive days. Overshown has now missed four games since getting hurt in Week 1.
On offense, Klayton Adams is looking for something more stable. He said Dallas has to find a way to avoid becoming too dependent on the passing game, and he didn’t sugarcoat where things stand.
“We have to develop an identity, and we’re still searching for that,” he said, per WFAA’s Ed Werder. “But you know, so far, what you’ve seen from us is streaky and somewhat inconsistent, and I would say some of that is because we’ve really been we’ve really only for the most part been able to kind of hit with one hand, and so you know we need to be more balanced.”
There’s also movement around next week’s matchup with Philadelphia. Joe Milton was signed by the Eagles from Dallas’ practice squad on Friday after Jalen Hurts was sidelined, and that sets up a Monday Night Football meeting that now looks very different from what was originally expected.
Milton will have to be added to Philadelphia’s active roster for at least three games, which puts him on track to face the Cowboys in Week 7.
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The longer Parsons stays sidelined, the more the questions around his return timeline linger for Dallas and anyone watching the NFC race. Reports have him unlikely to be back before Week 9 at the earliest, and the Packers have continued to hold up on defense through the first five games without him. For the Cowboys, the wait now feels less like a short-term setback and more like another week-by-week guessing game. [Read more 🡒]