It's a good thing that the Dallas Cowboys added a bunch of new safeties this offseason, because they're going through them fast! With several injuries to the position already during training camp, Dallas' depth at the position is going through an early crucible.
Thankfully, none of these injuries have been season-ending or even all that serious. But this past Saturday, Jalen Thompson (hip), P.J. Locke (knee), and Zion Childress (hamstring), who has moved full-time to safety in 2026, were all sitting out with various lower-body ailments. As of Tuesday's practice, Locke had returned, but Thompson and Childress were both still out.
One prospect getting more work and doing good things with it was Alijah Clark. Most remembered for last season's special teams highlight, Clark earned praise on Monday from Brian Schottenheimer for stepping up on defense while others missed time.
And then, this happened:
Cowboys S Alijah Clark was just helped off the field and is moving very gingerly. He was in coverage on a deep ball that Cobie Durant tipped.
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) August 4, 2026
Clark has been having a great camp.
The Dallas Cowboys are navigating multiple safety injuries in training camp
Sure, Caleb Downs is still out there writing the early chapters of his legend. And thankfully, even with veterans like Thompson and Locke going out, Dallas still has others in Malik Hooker and Markquese Bell to maintain some integrity on the practice field.
While we never cheer for injuries, they can open doors for other players. Julius Wood, back for another camp opportunity with Dallas, has been the biggest beneficiary of the medical mishaps. Arguably the low man on the safety totem pole going into Oxnard, Wood has already been on the right end of several camp reports and highlights.
Depth at safety will be more important than ever in 2026 given Christian Parker's stated plans for the position, particularly using Caleb Downs as a slot defender.
We should see three safeties on the field more than usual, at least since the days of the Malik Hooker-Jayron Kearse-Donovan Wilson triumvirate. This slot use makes the missed time for Clark and Childress even more painful, given their potential to play that role. That's something you don't get from the likes of Hooker or Bell.
The Cowboys' safety room could be better for it in the long run
On the one hand, these early medical concerns can make you nervous. But August injuries aren't the same as September ones; guys will sit out of practice with things they would never miss a game for, especially when camp is just getting started. And there is the silver lining of increased reps for guys like Clark and Wood, and hopefully Childress soon, as they look to prove their current and future value.
That said, guys like Thompson and Locke being out is hardly ideal given their importance to a very new, developing defense. Thompson, Dallas' biggest free-agent acquisition in a while, is expected to play a major leadership role in the secondary and for the defense as a whole. Hopefully, he joins Locke soon in returning to the field.
Thankfully, though we are still waiting on an Alijah Clark update, most of this so far seems to be minor. And if there's a time you want your depth tested, it's in training camp and not the regular season. We remain optimistic that the Cowboys' safety group will pass this test and be better for it in the coming months.
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