The Cowboys are turning back to a familiar face as their safety room thins out fast.
Dallas signed Juanyeh Thomas after a workout on Tuesday, bringing him in for his second stint with the team as the injuries keep piling up at the position. Malik Hooker is dealing with a fracture in his forearm that may need another week, P.J. Locke is already on injured reserve with a foot injury, and Jalen Thompson is expected to head there soon because of a hamstring issue that could sideline him for 4-6 weeks.
Thomas first arrived in Dallas as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech in 2022. He didn’t make the initial roster, but he stuck around on the practice squad that season. In January of 2023, he signed a reserve/future contract, then played his way onto the final roster after a strong preseason.
Once he got on the field, Thomas gave the Cowboys useful snaps on defense. In 16 games that season, he played 190 defensive snaps, made one start, and finished with 22 tackles and four pass breakups. He followed that with 13 games in 2024, recording 14 tackles, one pass breakup, and one forced fumble on 94 snaps.
Last season was his busiest stretch. Thomas played 266 snaps in seven games and made three starts, piling up 26 total tackles. His year ended when he was placed on the reserve/non-football illnes list last November because of chronic migraine headaches that affected his vision.
Special teams has also been a major part of his value. Thomas logged 706 snaps there from 2023 to 2025, giving Dallas a player who can help in multiple spots. The Cowboys chose not to tender him as a restricted free agent in the offseason, and he later signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts in March before being released in August because of migraine issues in training camp.
Dallas was down to Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark at safety, so Thomas gives the team another experienced option right away. What he brings in 2026 is still to be determined, but with the position stretched thin, he’s an important addition for the Cowboys.
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