The Dallas Cowboys were back at practice on Monday and have a scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints coming up tomorrow. Between these events, head coach Brian Schottenheimer updated the media on several injuries as this final month of the offseason rolls on.
The biggest news of the rundown was that linebacker Jaishawn Barham, Dallas' third-round rookie and one of the early stars of camp, returned to practice today. Barham's strong early impressions had him trending toward a significant role on defense, perhaps pushing projected starters DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters for playing time.
Barham's momentum was halted by a groin injury about 10 days ago, which has since kept him working with the rehab team and delayed his preseason debut.
Hopefully, returning early in the week will allow Barham to play this Saturday in Dallas' second game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Jaishawn Barham's return and RB concerns highlight Cowboys injury updates
More secondary depth is also on the way
Also working back into practice today were cornerback Devin Moore and safety Zion Childress.
Moore's return is significant as, had he stayed with the medical staff, he might have landed on injured reserve before long in a rookie-year stash. But with plenty of practices and two preseason games to go, Moore still has a chance to earn his way onto the roster and perhaps challenge Caelen Carson's spot on the depth chart.
Childress, now fully moved to safety, is another roster contender. With Dallas using safeties as slot defenders this year, Childress' versatility lends itself to that end. He'll need to compete with Markquese Bell, Alijah Clark, and now Julius Wood to make it, so he can't afford anymore missed time.
Cowboys banged up at RB after Seahawks game
We already knew Phil Mafah didn't fare well on Saturday, leaving the game early with a chest contusion. But now Schottenheimer's confirmed that Jaydon Blue (shoulder) and Israel Abanikanda (ribs) also got nicked up in Seattle.
None of these were described as serious, but they could affect this week of practice and perhaps the Arizona game.
One obvious beneficiary is Malik Davis, who will gladly take any extra touches in his quest to stick around. But the big winner may be Jashaun Corbin, who Dallas just farmed from the UFL about a week ago. This could give Corbin a lot more opportunities, particularly if anyone's workload is reduced against the Cardinals.
Jonathan Bullard and Michael Trigg held out of practice
Schottenheimer also informed that DT Jonathan Bullard would continue to miss practice with a groin injury.
While the 11th-year veteran can afford to skip some camp time, he's also trying to earn a roster spot with a new team. His absence allows rookies L.T. Overton, Kelvin Gilliam, and other DT prospects to get more reps, and perhaps make Bullard expendable by final cuts.
After a strong preseason debut, tight end Michael Trigg was out of practice today with a toe injury. Schottenheimer said it's not considered serious, but we'll see how it affects Trigg's availability this week. Many would like to see more of the intriguing rookie in Arizona.
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