The Dallas Cowboys will be missing two important defensive players when they host the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon. Dallas ruled out linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and safety Malik Hooker after neither player practiced during the week.
Both defenders suffered their injuries during the Cowboysâ 28-20 Week 1 loss to the New York Giants. Overshown strained his hamstring, while Hooker fractured his forearm and underwent surgery. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated both players could miss approximately one to two weeks, offering some long-term encouragement despite their Week 2 absences.
The rest of Dallasâ final report delivered better news. Offensive tackle Ajani Cornelius practiced fully throughout the week despite a knee issue, while outside linebacker James Houston progressed from limited participation Wednesday to full practices Thursday and Friday. Neither player received a game designation, clearing both to face Washington.
The Cowboys have ruled out LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) and safety Malik Hooker (forearm) for SundayâÂÂs game against Washington, as expected. Everyone else is expected to be a full participant
â Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 18, 2026
OvershownâÂÂs absence changes Dallasâ communication
Losing Overshown affects more than the linebacker rotation. He wore the green-dot helmet in Week 1, which made him responsible for receiving ParkerâÂÂs calls and relaying them to the rest of the defense. Before leaving the opener, Overshown recorded seven tackles, illustrating how central he was to Dallasâ plan.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed rookie Jaishawn Barham will start at middle linebacker and handle the green dot against Washington. That represents an assignment for a third-round pick in his second NFL game. Barham must diagnose formations, communicate checks and keep the front and secondary aligned before the snap.
Dallas can reduce the burden by simplifying its calls and leaning on experienced defenders around Barham. Dee Winters and Shemar James provide other options at linebacker, but BarhamâÂÂs command of the huddle will be watched. Washington can challenge that transition with tempo, motion and play-action designed to force young linebackers into quick decisions.
HoustonâÂÂs availability helps offset some of the concern. The veteran played 10 defensive snaps and 10 special-teams snaps in Week 1. With his shoulder responding well enough for consecutive full practices, Dallas retains another rotational pass rusher and avoids entering Sunday with further attrition along the edge.
Hooker injury reshapes the secondary
HookerâÂÂs absence removes an experienced deep safety from the back end. He fractured his forearm during the loss to New York and underwent surgery, although Dallas did not place him on injured reserve. Schottenheimer indicated the Cowboys hope his absence will be measured in weeks rather than a longer stretch.
P.J. Locke is the logical replacement at free safety. Dallas also used first-round rookie Caleb Downs deep after Hooker exited the opener, but the coaching staff prefers to deploy Downs closer to the line of scrimmage, where his instincts and tackling can influence more plays. Keeping Locke deep would allow Downs to maintain that versatile role instead of forcing a broader reshuffle.
The final report is short, but it strikes at the spine of the defense. Dallas is missing the player who handled front-seven communication and the veteran responsible for organizing coverage behind him. That combination places extra pressure on Barham, Locke and the Cowboysâ established defensive leaders to prevent assignment errors.
Cornelius and Houston being cleared keeps the report from becoming a roster crisis. Still, the Cowboys cannot treat the absence of Overshown and Hooker as routine depth losses. Dallas must communicate cleanly, tackle consistently and avoid explosive plays if it wants to protect its home field and prevent an 0-2 start. The injury list is manageable in number; its impact will depend on how quickly the replacements take control.