A Dallas Cowboys secondary that has struggled mightily this season continues to be ravaged by injuries. Prior to their week five game at the New York Jets on Sunday, the team placed safety Malik Hooker on injured reserve. Hooker will now have to miss at least four games, after exiting the tie game against the Green Bay Packers in the second quarter.
In his fifth season with the team, this will mark the fourth time the veteran Hooker has missed games. Last year under Mike Zimmer was the only time Hooker was able to play all 17 games. Through four games in Matt Eberflus’ defense, Hooker played 100% of defensive snaps in week one, and 95% or more in every other game before his injury last Sunday night. The team has trusted Hooker and Donovan Wilson to be their main pairing at safety, but now will have to rely on Juanyeh Thomas who came in off the bench for Hooker last week.
For further depth at the position, the Cowboys also signed safety Alijah Clark to the active roster off their practice squad. Clark is an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse that had some buzz throughout training camp as a fan-favorite dark horse to make the roster. If Clark sees the field at all against the Jets, it will be a homecoming for Clark who played his high school football in New Jersey.
Markquese Bell is the Cowboys other option at safety, playing a season-high 27 snaps against the Packers and returning the Thomas blocked PAT attempt for two points the other way.
Fans have also been calling for more of Juanyeh Thomas on the field as well, but not having Hooker at least available is an overall hit to a defense that’s taken so many and is still searching for answers at all three levels. The amount of players the Cowboys will have to navigate returning from injured reserve is also getting worrisome, with a laundry list of defenders unable to help them at the moment.
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