Cowboys Delay Injury Decision on $33 Million Star

It had been 14 years since the Dallas Cowboys, a team notably wary of paying out money in NFL free agency, had given out the kind of contract that was given to safety Jalen Thompson this winter, a three-year, $33 million deal to bolster the back end of the defense. Thompson played three games before he injured his hamstring, badly enough that he has been on injured reserve since. But his four weeks are up, which means the Cowboys are eligible to open the practice window on Thompson.

They would then have 21 days to activate Thompson, or would have to move him to the season-long injured reserve. But to open the week of practice, the Cowboys have not indicated that they're going to make that move on Thompson.

Cowboys Still Unsure About Jalen Thompson Return

For a Cowboys team that thought it had loaded up on safeties coming into the year, getting Thompson back would be big, because the depth has not panned out quite the way the team had hoped–PJ Locke has been injured, out with a torn plantar fascia (he is set to return), and rookie Caleb Downs has been more of a slot corner than a safety, at least when everyone is healthy.

In setting the stage for the Cowboys practice week, coach Brian Schottenheimer laid out who was available. From Tommy Yarrish of the team website: " Cowboys LB Dee Winters (calf) and S Jalen Thompson (hamstring) worked with director of rehab Britt Brown on the resistance cords today. Thompson, who has been on IR since September 30, has missed 4 games and can have his 21-day practice window opened. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said yesterday the team had 'not yet' made a decision on opening his window."

Thompson, then, is highly unlikely to be back this week. But the Cowboys can start ticking off days until he gets there.