Cowboys To Sign Darian Thompson
The Cowboys are signing safety Darian Thompson off of the Cardinals’ practice squad, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Thompson was a third-round pick of the Giants in 2016, but he has yet to find his footing in the NFL. 
Thompson’s would-be rookie season was mostly lost to a Lisfranc injury suffered in training camp. He started in all 16 of his games in 2017, but a hamstring injury held him back in the summer. The Giants’ new regime didn’t feel that he was worth keeping and cut him with an injury designation on Sept. 1.
The move was a head-scratcher for some, but Thompson graded out as just the 66th-ranked safety in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Thompson could not find a 53-man deal when he first hit the open market, but the Cowboys have a role in mind for him after plucking him from Arizona’s p-squad.
Thompson is a Boise State product and he’ll find plenty of fellow alums in Dallas. Cowboys stars Leighton Vander Esch, Tyrone Crawford, and Demarcus Lawrence all wore orange and blue before donning navy, silver, and white.
Cowboys Sign CB C.J. Goodwin
The Cowboys are signing cornerback C.J. Goodwin off of the Bengals’ practice squad, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The well-traveled 28-year-old will give the Cowboys another option in the secondary as Chidobe Awuzie recovers from an ankle injury. 
Goodwin spent the offseason with the Bengals, but was unable to make the final cut on Labor Day Weekend. He’s been biding his time on the practice squad ever since, and he’ll finally get a chance to see live action in Dallas. Goodwin has appeared in 28 career games, most of them coming between 2016 and 2017 with the Falcons.
For now, Goodwin will serve as the club’s fifth cornerback behind Byron Jones, Jourdan Lewis, Awuzie, and Anthony Brown. If Awuzie can’t go on Sunday, he may get a spot on the active roster for the afternoon tilt against the Jaguars.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/8/18
Here are Monday’s practice squad decisions:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Christian Ringo
Denver Broncos
- Signed: NT Niles Scott
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Hakeem Valles
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: C Aaron Neary
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Frank Herron, LB Calvin Munson
- Cut: RB Ralph Webb, DL Vincent Valentine
New York Jets
- Signed: DL Bronson Kaufasi
- Cut: T Dieguot Joseph
Latest On Terrance Williams' Status
Terrance Williams landed on IR after not being listed on the Cowboys‘ injury report going into Week 4. The veteran wide receiver appeared on Dallas’ Week 5 injury list, however, after a personal issue kept him out of the Cowboys-Lions game. Now, both he and Travis Frederick — also placed on IR Saturday — are out until at least the Dec. 9 game against the Eagles. As for Williams’ status with the Cowboys, it’s possible he’s played his last game with the team considering his diminished role (39 snaps in three games). For now, the team is sticking by the embattled receiver, who may face a suspension for his offseason car accident. Williams is under contract through the 2020 season. It would cost the Cowboys ($2.5MM in dead money) more to cut him than it would save them by shedding that contract in 2019, however.
“With him, there’s a suspension looming out there that might or might not happen,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Friday during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via Pro Football Talk). “He does have some things after coming off that foot injury, which happens. When you have a foot injury, sometimes you rush it back, and you’re not quite there. And then just personal and general, some things that maybe are holding him back right now. I just think it’s a work in progress with him. We think a lot of him. He’s a fighter and competitor, we just got to get him right.”
Cowboys DL David Irving To Miss Week 5
The Cowboys moved David Irving onto their active roster earlier on Saturday and placed Travis Frederick on IR to do so. However, they will not have the defensive lineman at their disposal on Sunday night.
Irving did not make the trip with the Cowboys to Houston and will miss his would-be 2018 debut, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News reports (on Twitter).
Both Jerry and Stephen Jones said this week they expected Irving to suit up against the Texans, but Stephen Jones said the young defender was dealing with “some personal issues” (Twitter link via Machota). Irving missed the Cowboys’ first four games because of a substance-abuse suspension. The Cowboys excused him from practice on Thursday.
This situation has more to do with Irving’s family, per ESPN.com’s Todd Archer (on Twitter). The Cowboys are sticking by their third-year contributor, viewing this as “out of Irving’s control,” Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets.
This is a key year for Irving. He stands to be an unrestricted free agent after the season. He was given a second-round RFA tender ($2.914MM) after a strong eight-game showing in 2017. Moved to defensive tackle full-time, Irving finished with a career-high seven sacks last season. He has not played in a game since November 2017.
Cowboys Place WR Terrance Williams On IR
Terrance Williams is heading to the IR. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Cowboys are placing the wideout on the injured reserve.
We heard earlier this week that the wideout was limited in practice. He sat out last weekend’s game due to personal issues, but it was a left foot injury that may have led to his placement on the injured reserve (via Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram). Williams had previously fractured the same foot, and offseason surgery forced him to sit out the entire offseason program and mini camp. While he was never listed on the injury report, Hill says the foot issue had been limiting the wideout through the early part of the season.
Before the foot injury came to light, the biggest issue plaguing Williams was a pending suspension for crashing his car into a pole. Williams wasn’t charged with a DUI, but it’s believed that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident. A looming suspension may have influenced the Cowboys’ decision to place the wideout on the IR.
Before missing last weekend’s game, Williams had appeared in 83 straight games. The 29-year-old had averaged 46 receptions and 672 yards during his first five seasons in the NFL, including a 2015 campaign where he compiled 840 receiving yards. However, through three games this season, Williams had only hauled in two catches for 18 yards. Williams is currently in the second year of a four-year, $17MM deal. As our own Zach Links pointed out, the Cowboys could save $2.25MM by releasing him in the offseason, though they would be left with $2.5MM in dead money.
The Cowboys placed center Travis Frederick on the injured reserve earlier today. The team activated David Irving to take the open roster spot.
Cowboys To Place C Travis Frederick On IR
Travis Frederick is indeed heading to the IR to make room for defensive lineman David Irving. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports (via Twitter) that the team is placing their center on the injured reserve. The team will activate Irving to take the open roster spot. We heard yesterday that this was the expected move, although a final decision hadn’t been made at that point.
Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome before the start of the season, and we heard about a month ago that the offensive lineman was still experiencing numbness in both of his arms. The team didn’t immediately place Frederick on the injured reserve with the hope that he’d return before Week 8. Now, the lineman will be eligible to return for the final three games of the regular season, although he’d have to be cleared by a doctor.
The 27-year-old had started 80 straight games for the Cowboys heading into the season. He had another productive season in 2017, as Pro Football Focus ranked him third among eligible centers. The four-time Pro Bowler inked a six-year, $56.4MM extension with the organization back in 2016. Joe Looney will continue to get reps at center for the time being.
Irving was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. The defensive tackle ended up skipping training camp as he dealt with personal issues, and he participated in his first padded practice in almost a year on Wednesday. The former undrafted free agent out of Iowa State was excused from practice on Thursday, although owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he expects Irving to play this weekend.
The defensive tackle’s talent is undeniable, as he compiled seven sacks in eight games last season. However, considering how long he’s been out of the lineup, it’s unlikely he immediately replaces Antwaun Woods or Tyrone Crawford in the starting lineup.
Cowboys Notes: Irving, Bryant
- Earlier today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made clear the team wouldn’t be bringing back Dez Bryant despite the receiver’s eagerness to return to Dallas. Now his son Stephen Jones, the team’s player personnel boss, has elaborated on why. The younger Jones said it has a lot to do with quarterback Dak Prescott, saying “the last thing unfortunately that Dak needs right now is to continue to change a lot of things up again.” The Cowboys’ receiving corp has been much maligned, but it sounds like it will be staying as is.
- Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving is coming back from suspension this week. It’s a huge boost to Dallas’ defense, but to make room for him on the roster they’ll have to make a tough decision. It’s getting close to game day and they still haven’t made the call, so David Moore of Dallas News broke down all their potential options. Jones has said Irving will play, so something will need to be done in the next 36 hours or so.
Cowboys Won’t Re-Sign Dez Bryant
Dez Bryant says he would prefer to sign with the Cowboys over any other team. Unfortunately for Bryant, it doesn’t sound like his wish will come true. For the umpteenth time this season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stated that he will not re-sign the wide receiver. 
“I know I’m the one to ask in response to that,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Friday (via Stefan Stevenson of the Star Telegram). “We’re friends, to say the least. I mirror feelings of that nature. It just seems like Dez is a Cowboy. But we have to look at what we’re all having to deal with and that is what’s in the best interest of the team and that’s a different story there.”
The latest wave of Bryant-to-the-Cowboys speculation made some sense, particularly with Terrance Williams‘ status up in the air. Still, the Cowboys are 2-2 after edging out the Lions on Sunday, and Jones isn’t panicking.
“Trust me, if it were in our best interest, his and ours and the teams, then he would be on the field for the Cowboys,” Jones said. “I agree where we are and his status right now. I agree with that. Is that a clear answer?”
With that, it sounds like Bryant will have to focus his attention on another team. That is, if another club makes him a suitable offer between now and the end of the season.
Cowboys May Place Frederick On IR
The Cowboys are leaning toward placing center Travis Frederick on injured reserve to make room for the return of defensive tackle David Irving, Clarence Hill of the Star Telegram (on Twitter) hears. Hill stresses that no final decision has been made on the matter, but the Cowboys will have to drop someone from the roster between now and Sunday night’s game against the Texans. 
Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome before the start of the season but the Cowboys did not place him on IR, leaving open the possibility that he could return before Week 8. As of Sept. 7, Frederick was still experiencing numbness in both of his arms, so the All-Pro could be a long way from getting back on the field.
Frederick, 27, started 80 consecutive games for the Cowboys before this setback. A four-time Pro Bowler, Frederick graded as the league’s No. 3 center in 2017, per Pro Football Focus. He inked a six-year, $56.4MM extension in 2016, a deal that now ranks fourth on an annual basis among centers behind Ryan Jensen, Brandon Linder, and Weston Richburg.
The Cowboys offensive line has struggled a bit without Frederick in the middle, but the front five held up nicely against the Lions on Sunday. That’s good news for Dallas since Joe Looney may have to start at center for at least another two months.