Coming out of training camp and the preseason, the Dallas Cowboys were in pretty good shape, health-wise. In each of the past two summers, the Cowboys dealt with a serious injury to a starter–DeMarvion Overshown, DeRon Bland, Tyler Guyton and more–but that was not the case this year, probably helped by the fact that the Cowboys did not play any of their starters in the three preseason games. By the time they wrapped up their preseason slate and went through roster cutdowns, the injury sheet was clean.
Then, back on Labor Day, six days before the start of the NFL season, the Cowboys lost Tyler Smith to a thumb injury he had been playing through in camp. Since that revelation, the Cowboys’ positive health momentum has taken a bad turn. Backup running back Malik Davis had a season-ending hip injury just days later.
In Week 1, Malik Hooker broke a bone in his forearm, and Overshown injured his hamstring. In the Week 2 win over the Commanders, it was two more defensive starters–new free agent additions safety PJ Locke and cornerback Cobie Durant.
2 More Cowboys Hurt
Quite suddenly, the once-healthy Cowboys are dealing with a bit of an injury crisis. The team has done what it can to bolster the depth a multiple positions, but there are still areas on the defense–in the secondary especially–that are thin. And the Cowboys keep losing bodies there.
That was a concern raised by former Cowboys receiver and DLLS Cowboys analyst Jesse Holley on Twitter/X on Sunday.
He wrote: The Cowboys Had An Incredibly Healthy Training Camp But Man Two Weeks Into The Regular Season And The Cowboys Lost: Tyler Smith (Starter) Malik Hooker (Starter) DeMarvion Overshown (Starter) Cobie Durant (Starter) Pj Locke (Semi Starter).
And he finished with: “Starters Are Dropping Fast!!”
Injury Updates on Monday
There is no word yet on how severe the injuries to Durant and Locke are, and the team won’t announce that until Monday, but both are worrisome. Locke was staring in place of the Hooker but hurt his foot just three plays into Week 2, and the Cowboys had to turn to Markquese Bell. Locke was seen in a walking boot after the game.
Durant has a hamstring injury and was replaced by Shavon Revel. Again, the Cowboys are thin at the position, and would be down to Caelen Carson and Ameer Speed behind the starters.
Dallas will be on something of an accelerated schedule this week, because they leave on Thursday to go to Rio, where they will play the Ravens on Sunday.
Cowboys New Injuries Hit as Starters ‘Dropping Fast’