The Cowboys’ secondary took another beating in Week 2, and the timing couldn’t be much worse.
Dallas got a needed win over the Washington Commanders in its home opener, but the victory came with fresh damage on defense. Cornerback Cobie Durant went down with a hamstring injury, and safety P.J. Locke left with a foot injury, adding to a growing list of problems in the back end.
The latest setbacks pile onto injuries the Cowboys were already dealing with. Starting safety Malik Hooker suffered a broken forearm in the season opener, while rising linebacker DeMarvion Overshown went out with a strained hamstring. Now Durant and Locke have joined the list, leaving the unit in even thinner shape.
On Monday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer gave the update on both players, and it wasn’t encouraging. Durant is dealing with a hamstring strain, while Locke has a torn plantar fascia. Both could miss multiple weeks.
There is at least a small bit of good news for Dallas. Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan that he does not expect either player to land on injured reserve.
Even so, the Cowboys are staring at a depth problem in a secondary that was already a soft spot. The team will have to sort through its options quickly, because the next challenge is a big one: a Week 3 trip to Rio de Janeiro to face Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
That leaves Dallas leaning harder on in-house help, and second-year cornerback Shavon Revel is the name to watch. Revel is expected to get more snaps with Durant out, and the Cowboys will be counting on him to be ready for a bigger role.
Revel showed well in training camp and the preseason, which gives Dallas some hope that he can carry that momentum into a real game when the opportunity opens up.
The matchup with Baltimore will be played at Maracanã Stadium, where the Cowboys are the designated home team. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS.
It will also be the first NFL game ever played in Rio de Janeiro. Jim Nantz and JJ Watt will call the game, with Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sideline.
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CeeDee Lamb Sees Something In This Young Cowboys Defender
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CeeDee Lamb took notice afterward, and not just because of the box score. The veteran receiver was quick to point to Barhams passion and the way he carried himself on the field, which matters on a unit that is still sorting out its identity. For a young defender making his first start, earning that kind of respect from teammates is often the first sign he may have found a real role. [Read more 🡒]
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Then came the odd postgame wrinkle. Lamb was subjected to an NFL drug test after the game, a development that immediately got Cowboys fans talking almost as much as the box score did. For a player who had just delivered a standout night, the timing made the whole thing feel a little unusual, and it only added another layer to a game Dallas already had plenty of reasons to remember. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Could Benefit From The Chargers Tight End Desperation
The Chargers suddenly find themselves in a tight spot at tight end after injuries sent David Njoku and Charlie Kolar to injured reserve, thinning a position group that was already stretched. With only Oronde Gadsden healthy on the active roster and the rest of the options living on the practice squad without game experience, Los Angeles is staring at a depth problem that could force a move.
That is where Luke Schoonmaker comes into the conversation for Dallas. The former second-round pick sits behind other options on the Cowboys depth chart, and his contract status makes him a plausible name to monitor if the Chargers decide they need a more dependable answer sooner rather than later. No trade has been agreed to, but the fit is obvious enough to keep this one on the radar. [Read more 🡒]