DeMarvion Overshown

Latest On Cowboys’ Pursuit Of Defensive Help

OCTOBER 26: Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer confirms (video link) the Cowboys made calls about both Crosby and Hendrickson. To little surprise, those inquiries were rebuffed in each case. Dallas could still be in the market for a less splashy acquisition over the coming days, especially if the team’s defense continues to struggle.

OCTOBER 23: Ranked first in the NFL in yards and second in points, the Cowboys’ offense has been one of the league’s best during the first seven weeks of the season. The other side of the ball has been a different story. Thanks to a defense that ranks last in yards allowed and 30th in points given up, the Cowboys are a middling 3-3-1 and sitting in 10th place in the NFC.

With an eye on returning to the playoffs after missing the postseason in 2024, owner Jerry Jones has been making calls around the league to acquire defensive help before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Cowboys swing a deal for a defender by then, Adam Schefter of ESPN says.

Dallas, which is tied for 14th in the league in sacks, is among many playoff hopefuls angling for a pass-rushing addition over the next week and a half. The Cowboys have predictably struggled without all-world edge rusher Micah Parsons, whom they sent packing to Green Bay before the season amid a contract dispute.

While the Cowboys received defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks in the swap, moving Parsons left a massive void in their defense. Jones said earlier this month that he’d consider parting with those draft choices for immediate help.

With the Cowboys seeking a Parsons replacement, rumors have connected them to elite edge players in the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson and the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby. Hendrickson is likely to remain in Cincinnati, though, and Las Vegas isn’t moving Crosby. The Cowboys “presumably” inquired about Crosby in their extensive search for an “impact” defender, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. They’re out of luck on that front. Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has also come up as a potential fit for the Cowboys, but he’s reportedly not available.

Although Jones is focused on an outside acquisition to improve the Cowboys’ defense, the team regards it as an “ascending” unit, Schultz says. The Cowboys liken soon-to-return linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to a “superstar midseason acquisition in a trade,” according to Schultz.

During his first NFL action last year, Overshown piled up 90 tackles and five sacks in 13 games before suffering a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL. It was the second major knee injury for Overshown, who missed his rookie campaign in 2023 with a torn ACL. The 25-year-old returned to practice as a limited participant on Wednesday, setting up a season debut sometime soon.

Overshown is on his way back, but if the Cowboys have their way, he won’t be the only addition to their defense in the coming weeks. With the draft capital the Cowboys have on hand, not to mention the second-most cap space in the league, Jones may be in for an aggressive deadline.

Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown To Return To Practice

The final stage of DeMarvion Overshown‘s return to the lineup will begin shortly. The third-year linebacker is set to practice for the Cowboys this week.

Overshown indicated on X Monday morning that his practice window would open. The news has since been confirmed by COO Stephen Jones. Once the Cowboys officially bring Overshown back onto the practice field, they will have 21 days to activate him. Using most or all of that time could be necessary.

“It will probably take the full, allotted three weeks,” Jones said when speaking about Overshown during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I know he’s fired up. I know the training staff is fired up.”

As of June, Overshown was ahead of schedule in his recovery from the ACL, MCL and PCL tears which ended his 2024 campaign. That was already the second massive knee injury of his NFL career, as the Texas product was sidelined for his entire rookie campaign. The Cowboys have been targeting a return at some point in November, though, and today’s news points further in that direction.

Dallas’ linebacking corps has drawn criticism for its role in the team’s poor showings on defense to date. A trade aimed at helping the unit could be in store, but expectations are high for internal improvement once Overshown is back in the fold. The 25-year-old racked up 90 tackles and five sacks in 13 games prior to suffering his latest knee injury. He did so while handling a defensive snap share of 83%. A similar workload could be in store upon being activated.

The Cowboys’ defense is dealing with a number of other important injuries on defense, with the secondary in particular being a unit still far from full strength. That could remain the case for the time being, but getting Overshown back in the fold will be critical. The Cowboys will no doubt proceed with caution in terms of moving forward with an activation once his window opens, but a 2025 debut can be expected shortly.

Jerry Jones Willing To Deal Packers Picks In Right Trade

A loss on Sunday dropped the Cowboys to 2-3-1, although there have been some signs of life. Dallas has collected 178 points through six games, good for third in the NFL. Much of that production has come without offensive star CeeDee Lamb, with the likes of George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, and Javonte Williams stepping up.

On the flip side, the Cowboys are rostering one of the worst defenses in the league, as the team’s 184 points allowed is the second-worst mark in the NFL. Jerry Jones believes his team is close to contention and could patch up the defense with some trade acquisitions. In a bit of an ironic twist, the Cowboys owner also acknowledged that he’d consider dealing some of the assets he acquired when he traded away defensive star Micah Parsons.

[RELATED: Cowboys Endorse DC Matt Eberflus]

“If we can improve our team and it makes sense for what we give up in the future, all of it’s there,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “We have major, major, major resources that we wouldn’t have had had we not made that trade. … I promise you, yours truly or anybody associated with the Cowboys has got our eyes really opened to ways we can help this defense and certainly don’t want to preclude anything on offense, either.

“There’s nothing untouchable in our resources to help our team. And there’s no way that I’m at a point right now to where I would not do something because of where we are into the season, six games. I would go as early as I would if we were talking three games back.”

The Parsons trade sent shockwaves through the league, and his subtraction from the Cowboys defense is a big reason why that unit is struggling at the moment. Still, there’s no denying that the front office received two worthwhile assets in the trade, with Green Bay sending a pair of first-round picks to Dallas. The Cowboys are minus a 2026 third-round pick that was sent to the Steelers in the Pickens trade, but the team is otherwise armed with all of their early- and mid-round picks.

While it seems unlikely that a defensive player would become available that would warrant a first-round pick, it should still be encouraging for Cowboys fans that their owner is willing to deal from their stockpile of draft selections. The team’s performance over the coming weeks will surely influence the organization’s approach to the trade deadline.

Besides potential acquisitions, the Cowboys are also counting on some returning players to add a spark to their defense. Jones said the return of DeMarvion Overshown could influence how the team approaches the trade deadline, per Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports. The linebacker is still working his way back from a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL suffered towards the end of the 2024 season, and it’s uncertain if he’ll be back to his former form when he returns to the field. After missing his entire rookie campaign, Overshown showed flashes in 2024, finishing with five sacks and eight tackles for loss.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Lawrence, Eagles

Jerry Jones is optimistic the Cowboys will have most of their injured players back in the next couple of weeks. The Cowboys are without starters CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Booker on offense, but neither is on IR. That duo will be set to return soon, while cornerback Caelen Carson is in the IR-return window. Rookie running back Phil Mafah will also be an option to come off IR. Jones expressed more hesitancy during a 105.3 The Fan appearance (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) regarding DeMarvion Overshown and Cooper Beebe. The longtime owner/GM said he does not expect either to return until after the Cowboys’ Week 10 bye. Though, Jones did inject some optimism here by mentioning he does not expect the linebacker or center to miss much (if any) time beyond that point.

Overshown is recovering from a severe knee injury, which resulted in ACL, MCL and PCL tears. A September report pointed to October as a possible early return window; Jones’ latest offering pours cold water on that. Overshown, who missed his entire 2023 rookie season due to an ACL tear, looks likelier to come back at some point in November. Beebe has missed the past three Cowboys contests with a lateral ankle sprain and fractured foot. A return shortly after Dallas’ Week 10 bye would be in line with the initial recovery timetable provided.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • The Cowboys benched Kaiir Elam in Week 5, doing so after he started the team’s first four games. DaRon Bland had already returned in time for Week 4, complementing Trevon Diggs after the duo had barely played together since Diggs’ September 2023 ACL tear. Elam still played 35 defensive snaps in a rotational role during a blowout win over the Jets, but via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Reddy Steward lined up in the slot alongside Diggs and Bland. Elam has worked as an outside corner but has not shown much improvement from his Bills days. The Cowboys did not pick up the 2022 first-rounder’s fifth-year option in May.
  • Dexter Lawrence has seen some less accomplished defensive tackles pass him over since he signed his Giants extension (four years, $90MM) in May 2023. The Giants gave him an incentive package in July, and The Athletic’s Dan Duggan details those markers. Lawrence can earn $1.5MM in playing time-based incentives, with $500K escalators in place for 51%, 60% and 70% of the Giants’ defensive snaps this season. An additional $1.5MM in performance incentives are present, with those benchmarks including separate $500K bumps for five-, six- and seven-sack seasons. With the same three-tiered setup in place for the performance marks, Lawrence must become a first- or second-team All-Pro — and see the Giants improve on either total yardage, yards per carry or yards per pass from 2024 — to cash in on any of the $500K levels.
  • The Commanders benched Brandon Coleman last month, turning to fourth-year option Chris Paul at left guard. This was part of a multi-guard changeover, with Andrew Wylie replacing ex-Chiefs teammate Nick Allegretti at RG (while Sam Cosmi finishes his ACL rehab). Coleman’s health contributed to the benching, per Kliff Kingsbury, who said (via NBC4Sports’ JP Finlay) nagging injuries partially contributed to the demotion. Coleman, who started 12 games as a rookie, has not played since Week 2.
  • Landon Dickerson made it back from preseason meniscus surgery to play in Week 1, but he will be sidelined for the Eagles‘ Thursday-night matchup against the Giants. Dickerson sustained an ankle injury against the Broncos and has been ruled out for Week 6, with the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane indicating a two-game absence is likely in play for the Pro Bowl guard. Brett Toth replaced Dickerson at LG. Elsewhere on the Eagle injury front, long snapper Charley Hughlett underwent successful core muscle surgery, per his agent. Placed on IR last week, Hughlett is expected to miss multiple months.

Cowboys CB Shavon Revel Set For Week 5 Return; Latest On LB DeMarvion Overshown

The Cowboys’ defense did not enjoy a strong performance in Week 2, with Russell Wilson throwing for 450 yards. The unit is set to remain shorthanded for now, but reinforcements are expected.

The cornerback position has been a sore spot early in the year, and DaRon Bland is currently sidelined. In spite of that, Dallas is not expected to pursue an outside addition. Part of the reason that is the case is the fact Bland’s injury is not seen as a long-term issue; rookie Shavon Revel is also on his way back into the fold.

Revel opened the year on Dallas’ reserve/NFI list, ensuring at least a four-game absence to begin the season. The East Carolina product continues to rehab the ACL tear which ended his college career and contributed to a fall down the draft order. When healthy, he will be a welcomed addition to a unit featuring Bland, Trevon Diggs and offseason trade acquisition Kaiir Elam. With respect to when a return will take place, ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes Revel is believed to be on track to play in Week 5.

That is encouraging news for Dallas’ defense, a group which is still thin at the linebacker spot. DeMarvion Overshown is on the reserve/PUP list thanks to the knee injury resulted in ACL, MCL and PCL tears late last season. The 25-year-old said in June he was ahead of schedule in his lengthy recovery process, although no firm timetable for a return has been stated. Per Graziano, the Cowboys expect Overshown to be available at some point in October or November.

After missing his rookie season with a different ACL tear, the Texas product thrived when on the field last year. Overshown served as a defensive starter, collecting 90 tackles and five sacks in 13 games. Strong production will be expected again once he is available, something which should be the case around the midway point of the campaign. Once Revel and Overshown return, a clearer picture of the Cowboys’ defensive upside should emerge.

Deuce Vaughn, La’el Collins Among Cowboys’ Cuts; Shavon Revel Lands On NFI List

Here are the Cowboys’ moves to pare their roster down to 53:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on IR (return designation):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Placed on reserve/NFI list:

Revel’s timetable has remained murky, but this placement offers some clarity. The third-round rookie cornerback will miss at least four games after being transferred from the active/NFI list to the reserve/NFI list. While the Cowboys had aimed for Revel to play in September, his father’s comment about the ACL rehab effort pointed to a slightly lengthier recovery timetable. Revel suffered the tear in September 2024; he will now be out more than a year since the injury.

Vaughn has been with the Cowboys since they drafted him in the 2023 sixth round, but the team overhauled its backfield this offseason. Dallas signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders before drafting two RBs (Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah). Vaughn could be retained on a practice squad deal, but teams cannot begin assembling their taxi squads until Wednesday.

Overshown is espected to miss most of the season after suffering a major knee injury in Week 14. Turner suffered broken ribs, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. While Turner and Mingo will count against Dallas’ in-season injury activations, dropping the number to six, Mafah will be carried on the active roster and then placed on IR.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/25

Training camps are underway around the league, bringing more and more roster adjustments every day. Here are the latest minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: WR Will Sheppard
  • Released: K Alex Hale

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: QB Dresser Winn

Minnesota Vikings

  • Placed on active/PUP: TE Gavin Bartholomew, LB Chaz Chambliss

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: CB Kam Alexander, DT Justin Rogers
  • Waived/NFI: CB Zy Alexander

Martin, a 12-year veteran who signed with the Panthers this offseason, is dealing with a minor hamstring injury, per Joe Person of The Athletic.

The Cowboys’ trio of cornerbacks were all expected to be placed on their respective lists given where they are in the rehab process, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. The same is true of Overshown, who recently shared a positive update on social media (via Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk).

An eye injury will sideline Hale for several weeks, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, forcing the Packers to release him. Hale was not expected to push Brandon McManus for the starting job in Green Bay, but the team will need another kicker for training camp.

The Seahawks swapped undrafted cornerbacks, adding Alexander out of Oregon and waiving Alexander with a non-football injury designation. Rogers, meanwhile, was signed after a successful tryout.

Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown Ahead Of Schedule In Recovery; Sam Williams Returns To Practice

DeMarvion Overshown missed his entire rookie season due to an ACL tear. He managed to return to the Cowboys’ lineup in time for the start of last season, handling a starting role when on the field.

A productive campaign came to a premature end in December, however. The former third-round linebacker suffered another ACL tear with the same damage also being done to his MCL and PCL. As a result, Overshown is once again in the midst of a lengthy recovery process. Encouragingly, he is ahead of schedule at this point.

“It really couldn’t be any better,” Overshown said when speaking about his health status (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “Where I’m at in my rehab and my process is where I’m supposed to be plus some… There’s no need to rush the process. I’m gonna come back when I’m 100 percent. When I’m ready, when I know I can touch the field and not look down and worry about my knee.”

The 24-year-old posted 90 tackles, five sacks and four pass deflections last season. A return to that level of production would be welcomed on a Cowboys defense in need of improvement in 2025. A firm timeline is not in place for a return to action, and it would come as no surprise if Overshown began the campaign on the PUP list. November was mentioned last month as a possible point at which he could suit up, but since the Texas product is ahead of schedule he may manage to do so slightly earlier.

In other Cowboys injury news, Sam Williams has recently reached a key milestone in his own rehab process stemming from a major knee injury. The former second-round defensive end missed all of last season after tearing his ACL and suffering a partial MCL tear during training camp. The 26-year-old recently took part in individual drills for the first time this offseason, though, as noted by the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.

That news comes as little surprise, since owner Jerry Jones said one month ago Williams had nearly healed in full. Still, having the latter back in the fold will be key for a pass rush group which lost DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency. Williams has yet to start a game in the NFL, but he could be in line for a spike in usage as a complement to Micah Parsons along the edge. A strong showing would be key since Williams is a pending 2026 free agent.

Dallas ranked 31st in the NFL in points allowed last season. Better health from the likes of Overshown and Williams will help the team’s efforts to improve in that respect, and both should be available for at least most of the coming campaign.

NFC East Rumors: Cowboys, Eagles, Strahan

The Athletic beat writer Charlotte Carroll was astute to notice that someone other than head coach Brian Daboll was calling plays at Giants minicamp recently. This report was confirmed when SportsNet New York’s Connor Hughes saw assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka calling plays for the second day in a row.

While this may suggest some uncertainty about who will be calling the offense for New York in 2025, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post was quick to report that a change isn’t likely at this time. Kafka was originally given play-calling duties for the first time in his career during Daboll’s first year as the head coach. Daboll had wanted his focus to be more big-picture and had assigned the responsibility to Kafka. Just before the 2024 season, though, Daboll took over play-calling duties for the whole year.

A time may come in which Kafka gets another opportunity to call plays in the NFL, but for now, his lack of experience in comparison to Daboll’s is likely to keep the responsibility with the head coach in 2025.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC East:

  • After missing his entire rookie season with a torn ACL in the preseason, Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown had a productive debut season in 2024. In 13 games, Overshown started 12 contests and stuffed the stat sheet in the process. He tallied 90 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, five sacks, five quarterback hits, four passes defensed, an interception returned for a touchdown, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Unfortunately, that production came to a screeching halt when he suffered late-season tears to his ACL, MCL, and PCL. Overshown is making sure not to rush anything in his recovery, telling RJ Ochoa of SB Nation that, while he hasn’t ruled out starting in Week 1, he knows he’ll probably be starting the season on the physically unable to perform list. Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram adds that November has been identified as a realistic target for Overshown’s return.
  • Ben VanSumeren is entering his third season with the Eagles. While he has made two starts in his career, his main impact has come on special teams. Even more interesting, VanSumeren’s rookie-year start was on defense at linebacker, but his second-year start was on offense as a fullback. In fact, all of his non-special teams snaps were on defense as a rookie and on offense in his sophomore campaign. According to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, head coach Nick Sirianni disclosed that, after re-signing VanSumeren, the third-year player has been officially labeled a fullback. While the team intends to cross-train him in both rooms, he will begin in the running backs room in 2025.
  • Lastly, it was recently reported that Eli Manning is not the only former Giant looking to acquire an ownership stake in the franchise. According to Schwartz, Hall of Fame pass rusher Michael Strahan will compete with Manning in an attempt to buy up to a 10 percent ownership stake in the Giants. Strahan is pairing with billionaire Marc Lasry to put together their bid.

Cowboys Notes: Murray, Prescott, Overshown

Kenneth Murray‘s trade to the Cowboys came as a surprise to the 26-year-old linebacker, but he has no complaints about playing in Dallas.

“I’ve always loved the Cowboys,” said Murray (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “I grew up a Cowboys fan. My whole family are Cowboys fans. So this is definitely a dream for me playing here.”

Murray was born outside of Houston in 1998. Though the Texans would become the NFL’s 32nd team a year later, Murray was still raised supporting America’s Team. He just wasn’t planning to play for them anytime soon.

“It was extremely surprising for me, just because I wasn’t expecting it,” continued Murray. After will compete for a starting job in Dallas as DeMarvion Overshown recovers from last season’s knee injury.

  • Overshown underwent extensive surgery in December to repair a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in his right knee. The Cowboys won’t rush him back to the field, but he is planning to play next season. “I’ll be back playing football for sure in 2025,” said Overshown, per Machota. “And it won’t be in December. It will be before that.” The exact timeline for his return remains uncertain given the severity of his injury.
  • Dak Prescott doesn’t have a clear timeline, either, but he is on track to return by the beginning of the regular season. “I’ll be ready for the first game and when anything matters and very, very ready,” said Prescott (via Cowboys team writer Patrik Walker). He missed most of the 2024 season with a partial avulsion of his right hamstring that required surgery.
  • Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey also underwent minor shoulder surgery this offseason, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News. Obviously, shoulder surgery isn’t expected to have a major impact on a kicker, but any procedure brings potential complications with it. The Cowboys know that all too well after Brandin Cooks missed multiple games last season due to a infection resulting from injections in his right knee.
  • In non-injury news, the Cowboys are expected to keep Cooper Beebe at center in 2025, per Machota. Beebe primarily played left guard at Kansas State, but started 16 games at center for the Cowboys as a rookie in 2024. Brock Hoffman and Jack Anderson both have experience at the position, but neither profiles as a better starting option than Beebe.