Cowboys Face Major Setback With Dual Injuries Amid Joey Porter Jr. Update

The Dallas Cowboys are struggling to fix a defense that ranks 30th in total yards allowed and has zero interceptions. Heading into a Week 4 matchup against the Houston Texans this Sunday, Jerry Jones' 1-2 franchise desperately needs a spark.

Right after trading for defensive back Joey Porter Jr. to help the secondary, the team's final injury report brought a severe dual setback. Dallas officially ruled out two defensive starters, forcing a complete defensive reshuffle right before kickoff.

Cowboys rule out key players as Joey Porter Jr. prepares for Texans debut

The bad news centers on cornerback Cobie Durant and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who both missed practice all week with hamstring injuries. Durant hurt his hamstring in Week 2 and will sit out a second straight game, while Overshown will miss his third straight contest. Rookie Jaishawn Barham continues to fill in at inside linebacker.

Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams highlighted the defensive stakes on X, writing , "CB Cobie Durant, LB DeMarvion Overshown ruled out, but Malik Hooker returns."

He added , "The Cowboys expect cornerback Joey Porter to play on Sunday in Houston. That's good news since they won't have cornerback Cobie Durant (hamstring)… Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) will also miss another week."

To bridge the coverage gap, Dallas finalized a trade on Wednesday , sending a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers to land Porter.

The 26-year-old cornerback missed the first three games of the season due to a back issue during a contract stalemate. He is in the final year of his rookie contract, and reports indicate Dallas does not plan to negotiate an extension this season.

Since Porter has not played a snap this year, the coaching staff plans to manage his workload on Sunday. Executive vice president Stephen Jones expressed optimism about the acquisition on 105.3 The Fan, stating , "We actually think Joey Porter will get snaps." Defensive coordinator Christian Parker echoed that excitement, labeling Porter a "boundary eraser" at corner.

"He fits well," Parker said . "He's a high-level coverage player, plays with great length. He has a lot of experience against a lot of high-level receivers, so we have evidence about how he does in that environment. Really excited about having him here."

Meanwhile, the winless Houston Texans (0-3) received an offensive boost. Star receiver Nico Collins took part in all team drills on Friday and carries no injury concerns after missing the last two games. Despite their winless record, the Texans enter the rivalry matchup as 3-point favorites over the 1-2 Cowboys.