The Dallas Cowboys finally got the kind of result they needed in Week 4, but the 34-30 win over the Houston Texans came with another reminder of how thin their defense has become. Just as Dallas welcomed Malik Hooker back from a fractured forearm and saw its secondary stabilize somewhat in Week 1, two more defensive contributors are now facing another absence.

Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Cobie Durant both remained sidelined Monday as the Cowboys began preparing for a Thursday night meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Cowboys’ own Monday update made the situation fairly clear. Overshown and Durant continued to deal with hamstring injuries and were held out of practice again, with the team saying both were likely to be ruled out for Week 5.

Rookie offensive lineman Drew Shelton, also dealing with a hamstring issue, was absent as well. The Monday session was only a walkthrough, meaning the participation figures were estimates, but neither Overshown nor Durant was able to take part.

Overshown’s situation is particularly notable because there had been some optimism that he could finally return against Tampa Bay. The linebacker suffered his hamstring injury during the Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the New York Giants and has now missed three consecutive games. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer described the injury as having stretched beyond that original expectation.

“D-Mo will not be back for Houston. Just part of the process. Soft tissue injuries are sometimes finicky,” Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said.

Durant’s situation is less optimistic. The cornerback suffered his hamstring injury during Dallas’ Week 2 win over Washington and has already missed the Cowboys’ games against Baltimore and Houston. Schottenheimer previously acknowledged that Durant was making progress but still had considerable work ahead of him.

“Cobie Durant is doing a good job with his rehab but he still has a ways to go,” the coach said.

That absence matters with Durant brought in during free agency for Dallas’ starting cornerback rotation. The Cowboys’ secondary has already taken hits, with Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke on injured reserve and Malik Hooker only recently returning. Dallas also elevated Reddy Steward and Juanyeh Thomas ahead of the Texans game, while Joey Porter Jr. made his Cowboys debut against Houston after arriving in a trade with Pittsburgh.

Rookie Jaishawn Barham has already stepped into the middle linebacker role when Overshown has been unavailable, and his performance against Baltimore drew strong praise from Schottenheimer.

“I thought he flashed a lot, but more than anything, I thought he was in great command and control of what we were doing and calling the game,” Schottenheimer said.

Barham finished that game with seven tackles and two tackles for loss, showing Dallas that it has a young option capable of handling a larger role if Overshown remains sidelined.

Tyler Smith’s Potential Return Gives Dallas a Timely Boost Up Front

While the Cowboys’ defense faces more uncertainty, Dallas received some positive news on the other side of the ball Monday. The Cowboys opened Tyler Smith’s 21-day practice window after spending the first four games on injured reserve with a thumb injury. He now has a chance to return against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones highlighted what Smith’s return could add to an offensive line that has relied on T.J. Bass in his absence.

“We were gonna hit on Javonte [Williams] and the success he’s had getting the ball into the end zone, and [Smith] is a big additive to what we do in there. I love T.J. Bass, but we’re talking about a guy who’s an All-Pro… [And] a guy like Tyler Smith is gonna give you that extra second to make [plays downfield].”

Smith, meanwhile, acknowledged that the short turnaround leaves little room for preparation. He said the team will see how he feels during Tuesday’s work before making a final decision on whether he can play Thursday.

“I think it’s possible. We’re not ruling anything out. Obviously, there’s limited reps this week with just with a quick turnaround on Thursday. But we’re going to do some work tomorrow, kind of see how it feels and then ultimately when I feel ready, when the coaches feel like I’m ready, it’s boots on the ground and we’re rolling.”

Even if Smith does not return immediately, his practice window gives Dallas another important reinforcement to work toward. The Cowboys will have until October 26 to activate him to the 53-man roster, giving the team some flexibility as it manages the rest of its injury situation.