The Cowboys worked all offseason to fortify their secondary, especially the safety position. The 2026 regular season is working hard to undo those efforts, as Sunday's 34-31 loss to the Ravens has cost the Cowboys yet another starter on the back end.
This time it's veteran safety Jalen Thompson. The 28-year-old, who joined the team as a free agent in March, was bent awkwardly trying to make a tackle midway through the second quarter of the Week 3 game played in Rio and suffered a hamstring injury. After leaving the game, he did not return.
According to Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones, who spoke with K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan on Monday, Thompson could miss "four-plus weeks" with the injury.
That timeframe, if confirmed by the
Cowboys' medical team, could land Thompson on injured reserve, where he would be required to sit out at least four games.
Jalen Thompson had his head on the ground. pic.twitter.com/AvLkDvlXq0
— Chad Fisher DNP (@ChadFisher) September 27, 2026
Thompson had led the Cowboys defense in snaps over the team's first two games and up until his injury. His absence will now stretch an already-depleted Dallas secondary even thinner.
P.J. Locke was placed on injured reserve with a torn plantar fascia on Saturday, taking him out of commission for at least three more games. Malik Hooker fractured an elbow in the season opener on Sept. 13 but reportedly could make a return very soon.
Jones said the team is "very hopeful Hooker will have a shot this week" when the Cowboys travel to Houston to face the interstate-rival Texans.
Even if the 10-year veteran is able to suit up Sunday, the Cowboys will likely have to lean a little harder on depth safeties Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark, as well as first-round rookie Caleb Downs. But Jones did not rule out the possibility of looking outside the building for even more help at the always-important position.
"We'll definitely be looking to see if there's way to shore that spot up," Jones said.
Of note, former Cowboy safeties Israel Mukuamu, Donovan Wilson, and Juanyeh Thomas are all currently available on the open market.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Injury Update: Cowboys secondary snaps leader to miss 4-6 weeks
