The Dallas Cowboys announced three roster moves ahead of the team’s Week 15 matchup against the New York Giants. The Cowboys signed defensive tackle Justin Hamilton which now marks his third stint in Dallas this season.
To make room for Hamilton, the Cowboys released cornerback Deante Burton who has played in eight games for Dallas over the last three seasons. Dating back to 2019, Hamilton has been released by the Cowboys three times, most recently on December 11, per Pro Football Reference.
The Cowboys released Hamilton on August 31 as the team moved towards finalizing their 53-man roster for the start of the 2021 season. Dallas brought back the defensive tackle on November 6 but released Hamilton once again a little more than a month later. The veteran defender has played in eight games for the Cowboys this season notching 10 tackles, two quarterback hits and a tackle for loss.
Dallas received some good news as the team announced safety Donovan Wilson has been designated to return from the Injured Reserve list. Wilson last played against the Chiefs on November 21 and has appeared in six games for the Cowboys this season, including three starts. The safety has had 18 tackles, one quarterback hit and a pass deflection in 2021.
ALL the latest Dallas Cowboys news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Cowboys newsletter here!
The Cowboys Defense Ranks 12th in Points Allowed
Cowboys signed NT Justin Hamilton from practice squad to 53-man roster today, sources said. He earned it. Hamilton was a force last Sunday vs. Vikings, his night including a sequence in which he drew a holding call on consecutive snaps.
All three roster moves were on the defensive side of the ball which has proved to be the strength of the Cowboys team in recent weeks. Dallas ranks No. 12 in points allowed at 22.1 per contest and the unit has showed marked improvement from a season ago. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy explained the transformation the team set out to accomplish last offseason.
“You could see the potential in the spring,” McCarthy explained during his December 13 press conference. “Once again, we didn’t have many opportunities with the OTAs and everything, but I think it’s just like anything. Every year you have a roster and you’re developing it and you want [it] to come together. Obviously, coming out of the draft we were excited and I think that the veteran free agent was really the start of it. So, to really change that side of the ball, it was obviously an emphasis for us.
“And then, just watch the personalities come together in the spring. So, you felt good about that, but you never really know until you get to training camp and you get into the pads and then you can see some of the practices early where we’re lopsided. You know, the defense was ahead of the offense and so that was exciting for the defense and then we’ve had some moments. But really, to have the whole defense together, this is the first time they’ve all been together with everybody healthy since training camp. So, that’s obviously very exciting for us.”
Hamilton Also Played for the Eagles & Chiefs
And one of my favorite plays from Justin Hamilton was how he let up at the end of this QB hit. Great awareness and heads-up play. Sometimes, it’s the little things.
Hamilton earned a Super Bowl ring for his stint with Philadelphia in 2017, per Pro Football Reference. However, the Chiefs poached Hamilton from the Eagles prior to the postseason. Kansas City released Hamilton in August 2019 and the defensive tackle began his first stint with the Cowboys in October 2019.
Comments
Cowboys Sign Key Defender & Former Starter Returns From IR