Tyler Goodson didn’t need long to make himself matter in Dallas.
Signed off the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad in mid-September after Malik Davis went down with a hip injury, Goodson arrived with little noise and a simple job: help fill out the running back depth behind Javonte Williams. Since then, he’s done more than just occupy a roster spot. He’s shown burst, wiggle and enough juice in the return game to make the Cowboys think they may have found something useful for next spring and beyond.
That possibility took a hit Sunday against the Colts, when Goodson left in the second quarter with a knee injury. It doesn’t appear to be season-ending, but it’s still a frustrating twist for a player who had just started to carve out a real role.
Before exiting, Goodson had piled up a career-high 77 rushing yards on only 12 carries. For a player who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Indianapolis and spent his first three seasons there, that was a notable step forward. In those three years, he totaled 264 rushing yards on 56 carries with one touchdown, mostly in a limited role.
Now he’s in a different spot. Dallas signed him because it needed a body. What it may have gotten is a legitimate piece.
Goodson has been giving the Cowboys the kind of change-of-pace presence they hoped to find in failed draft pick Jaydon Blue. He’s looked like the lightning to Williams’ thunder, and his work on kick returns in recent weeks only added to the case that he can help in more than one phase.
The injury complicates things, though. Goodson is expected back this year, but sprains to both his ACL and MCL could keep him out for a while and raise questions about how he comes back.
He also just turned 26 on Tuesday, which doesn’t exactly make him a spring chicken by running back standards. That could matter when he hits free agency next spring. Still, he doesn’t have a ton of wear on him, since most of his NFL life has been spent as a backup, and that should help his market.
Dallas has Williams locked up through 2028, but the rest of the backfield is far less settled. The team could add a couple of players from its practice squad, including Israel Abanikanda, while Malik Davis is headed for free agency again and will soon be 28, which doesn’t exactly help his outlook.
That leaves Goodson in an interesting spot. If he returns this season and shows the same burst he flashed before the injury, he has a real chance to position himself as a strong RB2 candidate. Davis has been dependable and has offered special teams value, but Goodson looks more explosive and more dynamic.
That kind of versatility could matter even more if Dallas moves on from KaVontae Turpin this offseason. Turpin, who is soon to be 31, has seen his effectiveness dip recently, and the Cowboys could clear about $4.5 million off their 2027 cap by releasing him.
For now, the biggest variable is how Goodson looks when he gets back on the field. That return could change the conversation. But based on what he’s already shown, the way the roster is set up, and the Cowboys’ obvious affection for guys named Tyler, he looks like a strong candidate to be back in Dallas next season.
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 🡒]