The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a 28-20 Week 1 loss to the New York Giants that exposed some real cracks on defense, and now, heading into Sunday’s clash with the Washington Commanders, things have gotten worse. Two starters are already dealing with injuries from that opener, leaving Dallas short-handed before they’ve even played their second game.
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On Friday, the Cowboys announced that they have officially ruled out linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) and safety Malik Hooker (forearm) ahead of Sunday’s game against the Commanders. The two players are still nursing injuries picked up in Week 1.
There is a silver lining, though. Outside linebacker James Houston (shoulder) and offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius (knee) both showed up on the report too, but were full go in practice and look set to suit up Sunday barring anything unexpected.
Hooker’s situation is the bigger worry. He went down late in the third quarter against the Giants and never made it back onto the field, finishing the night with just a single solo tackle.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed after the game that X-rays pointed to a fractured forearm, and by Monday that diagnosis was confirmed. Hooker went under the knife Tuesday.
Overshown’s night ended almost as abruptly. He tripped up awkwardly during a running play in the fourth quarter and limped away from the field, but couldn’t return. He’d racked up seven tackles before the injury cut his day short.
Once the X-rays came back Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, Schottenheimer had a clearer picture on Hooker but was still waiting on more info regarding Overshown’s hamstring. That answer came soon enough. It was a strain, not something more serious.
As for recovery timelines, Schottenheimer sounded cautiously optimistic on both fronts. On Hooker, he said, “It sounds like it’s one that doesn’t require as long a period of time [to recover]. So we’re hoping it’s a two-week window.”
He offered a similar outlook for Overshown.
“We’ll see how he does, but nothing long-term,” Schottenheimer said.
By Wednesday, there was more good news. Hooker’s surgery had gone smoothly, and Overshown was seen doing rehab work off to the side of practice. Neither player has landed on injured reserve, which suggests the team is optimistic they won’t be gone long.
Schottenheimer said P.J. Locke will fill in at safety while Hooker is out, not first-round pick Caleb Downs.
“We love P.J. Locke,” Schottenheimer said. “I think Caleb played really, really well. Caleb’s a guy that can move around, but we like him down near the line of scrimmage.”
On the linebacker side, losing Overshown for Sunday stings, even if it wasn’t unexpected. He’s been a key piece of this defense, and replacing him won’t be simple.
So with both starters sidelined, Schottenheimer has already started looking toward the rookies to help fill the gap.
Jaishawn Barham steps up as DeMarvion Overshown sits out
With Overshown out, the Cowboys are turning to their rookies to pick up the slack. Jaishawn Barham could see a bigger role on Sunday, and Shemar James might get more snaps on defense too.
It’s official now. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed Friday that Barham will start at middle linebacker for the home opener against the Commanders. He’s also taking over Overshown’s “green dot” duties, the job of relaying play calls from the sideline.
“He’s got great command of what we’re doing,” Schottenheimer said. “… I think the green dot gets overblown at times. He’s communicating calls and setting fronts, and the entire defense sets off of it.”
That kind of trust isn’t coming out of nowhere. Barham was actually one of the few bright spots on defense on his NFL debut in Week 1, finishing with six tackles and a tackle for loss.
Dallas could use more of that. The Cowboys are still shaking off a rough 28-20 loss to the Giants, a game where mistakes piled up on both sides of the ball. One that stood out was Isaiah Likely’s touchdown catch, where linebacker Dee Winters was supposed to have him covered and didn’t get it done.
Those are exactly the kind of breakdowns Barham can’t afford to repeat now that he’s stepping into a bigger role. For the Cowboys, it’s a lot to ask of a rookie, sure, but based on how he played in Week 1, he might be more ready for it than people expect. And the team is in need of such unexpected talent stepping up with their starters out temporarily.