The Cowboys are bringing in reinforcements for their depleted secondary, and one of them is a familiar face.
Following a batch of five defensive tryouts on Tuesday, the Cowboys are signing safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerback Alex Austin, according to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Thomas, 26, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Cowboys beginning in 2022, when he joined the club as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech. After a rookie year spent on the practice squad, the 6-foot-3-inch Thomas made 37 game appearances (playoffs included) and started four contests over the next three campaigns. Most of his on-field reps came as part of the special teams unit.
His 2025 season was cut short after chronic migraine attacks
began affecting his vision. He spent 2026's training camp with the Colts but did not make the 53-man roster.
Sources: The #Cowboys are signing S Juanyeh Thomas, bringing him back to where his NFL career began.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 29, 2026
Thomas joined Dallas as an undrafted free agent and played in 36 games from 2022-2025, recording 62 tackles, 5 PBUs and 1 forced fumble. https://t.co/A5JQSvHGfS pic.twitter.com/qtkHCLQ9xp
Austin was a seventh-round draft pick by the Bills in 2023. The Oregon State product was waived early by Buffalo but then landed with Houston. After three game appearances for the Texans, Austin signed with the Patriots and saw action in 29 contests (playoffs included) with six starts for New England through the 2025 postseason, even playing in Super Bowl LX. He spent this past summer with Miami but did not make the Week 1 roster.
For the Cowboys, both will provide critically important depth. At safety, the team has seen Malik Hooker, P.J. Locke, and Jalen Thompson all miss time with various injuries. In the Week 3 loss to Baltimore, Dallas was down to its final two players at the position, Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark.
The Cowboys know what they're getting in Thomas, despite the defense now operating in a new scheme under coordinator Christian Parker. Thomas, who took to social media and lobbied for a return to Dallas after Thompson went down on Sunday, previously filled in for Hooker at safety for several outings last season.
Cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel are also injured, meaning Austin, who is expected to join the practice squad initially, could also get an opportunity sooner rather than later.
It was not immediately known what roster moves the Cowboys will make to create space for Thomas and Austin.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Report: Cowboys bring back Juanyeh Thomas for second stint; add Super Bowl LX cornerback
