Dallas promoted cornerback Derion Kendrick and safety Juanyeh Thomas from the practice squad for the matchup. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who has been dealing with a hamstring strain since the season opener against the Giants, will not travel with the team, keeping him out for a fifth consecutive game.
Overshown has shown progress recently, noting that he feels better now than when he initially injured the hamstring. He has been able to run more in practice and described his current state as “doing everything you can as a football player.” Nonetheless, he emphasized the unpredictability of hamstring injuries and the need to avoid rushing a return.
During the week, Overshown missed Wednesday’s practice, was limited on Thursday and Friday, and is listed as questionable for Sunday. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated a cautious approach, calling Overshown a “long shot” and stressing that there is time to recover without forcing a return.
Overshown serves as the Green Dot linebacker, a role he assumed amid a largely new-look Dallas defense. After a shortened 2024 campaign and a missed rookie season, Overshown showed promise by recording 90 tackles in 2024. In his absence, rookie Jaishawn Barham has worn the green dot, contributing 28 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble through five games. Linebacker Dee Winters has logged 35 tackles.
The Cowboys will also rely on Kendrick’s arrival from the Rams to bolster the secondary, giving Dallas another option at nickel. Thomas will be available for his third game of the season.
The week also brought other roster moves. Running back Emari Demercado was re-added to the 53-man roster after a brief stint on waivers, while offensive lineman Nick Leverett replaced cornerback Alex Austin on the practice squad.
Besides Overshown, Dallas is contending with a handful of other absences. Cobie Durant and offensive tackle Drew Shelton are ruled out with hamstring injuries. Safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke are out, and linebackers L.T. Overton and Ameer Speed are listed as questionable with foot and knee injuries, respectively. Linebacker Joey Porter Jr. was listed as questionable with an ankle issue but traveled with the team; he did not suit up against the Buccaneers due to illness. Da’Ron Bland and Caelen Carson were also sent home from practice for sickness.
With a 2-3 record, Dallas brings a patchwork roster to Green Bay. The effectiveness of the late-in-the-week reinforcements will hinge on how they match up against the Packers’ passing attack.
How Dallas plans to slow Jordan Love’s passing game
The Packers leaned on quarterback Jordan Love in their latest win, going 25-of-31 for 367 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears. Wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden are expected to be the primary targets challenging Dallas’s secondary.
Increased involvement for Porter is anticipated, especially without Cobie Durant, who played a limited number of defensive snaps in recent games. The Cowboys will lean on Porter to cover significant receiving threats, with a note that Durant had seen limited action recently.
Dallas plans to activate more aggressive schemes and look to rookie safety Caleb Downs to contribute beyond traditional call-based plays. The defense will need to limit big plays and pressure Love to disrupt rhythm in the Packers’ passing attack.
Green Bay will be without notable contributors, including Micah Parsons (on the PUP list due to ACL and meniscus injury), Javon Hargrave (Achilles), and Jonathan Ford (calf). The Packers’ offense, however, remains capable of testing a Dallas unit that has not lived up to preseason expectations.
Bottom line: Dallas must lean on strengthening its defense to secure a win on the road. The upcoming matchup will reveal how well the reinforcements perform and whether the Cowboys can execute a more complete, disciplined game to pull out a much-needed victory.
