(Editor's Note: Who doesn't love lists? Throughout training camp, 'High 5' will provide a top five list for many of the critical topics surrounding the Dallas Cowboys 2025 season.)
As the calendar flips to October, injury reports around the league begin to grow each week. Every injury throughout a season makes a significant impact, some make more than others. But Dallas, along with every other NFL franchise, must learn to navigate the waters of losing starters and impact players early in the season.
The Cowboys list has added names like Tyler Smith, KaVontae Turpin, Kenneth Murray, Tyler Guyton, and Malik Hooker this week alone. All joining players like Tyler Booker, CeeDee Lamb, Cooper Beebe, DeMarvion Overshown, and more.
It's not a problem exclusive to the Cowboys, and the longevity of multiple Dallas injuries could see a return sooner rather than later. But it remains something of note as the Cowboys enter their Week 5 matchup with the New York Jets. Here are the five most impactful injuries the Cowboys have needed to sort through in 2025:
Shavon Revel
Over the last few seasons, the Cowboys cornerback room has been a revolving door of injuries and inactives. When the Cowboys drafted Shavon Revel in the third round of April's NFL Draft, there was an expectation that he would be ready to play early in the regular season. Instead, Revel has needed some extra time to recover from a significant knee injury suffered in the early part of the 2024 college football season.
Revel would add an element of youth, size and speed to a secondary that desperately needs it after allowing 19 plays of 20 yards or more through Week 4. As Dallas tries to find their footing in the secondary,
KaVontae Turpin
Anytime an All-Pro specialist is missing with injury, there is going to be a significant drop off. KaVontae Turpin suffered a foot injury following the Week 4 matchup with the Packers and is questionable for the Week 5 matchup in New York. His impact has been tremendous in the return game, as it always has been, but his growth in the offensive game plan is what Dallas may miss the most.
Dallas is already without CeeDee Lamb in the receiving corps and Turpin filled in on a lot of his routes in the gameplan against the Packers. So should Turpin also be unavailable, the passing game playbook may not be as deep or as effective in Week 5.
DeMarvion Overshown
With the recent play of the linebacker room weighing heavily on the minds of Cowboys fans, the thought of DeMarvion Overshown's hopeful return is not far behind. After suffering a second devastating knee injury last December, the budding star at linebacker has seen his career growth halted and him impact limited.
He's still not slated to return until closer to the end of the regular season, but this is a Dallas defense that could use his skillset now. The Cowboys defense has league-worst marks in yards allowed per game (420.5), passing yards allowed per game (297.3), and 3rd down defense (58.2%), all areas where Overshown's athleticism and speed would help with immediately.
CeeDee Lamb
From the moment CeeDee Lamb went down with an ankle injury on the opening drive of Week 3 in Chicago, the entire outlook on the Cowboys offense changed. After a week of struggles against the Bears, the unit seemingly found their groove against the Packers after George Pickens stepped up for 134 receiving yards and two crucial touchdowns.
However, even with Pickens being capable of shouldering the WR1 role, this offense would rather have both Lamb and Pickens available to reach its maximum upside. Dallas is now 0-5-1 when Lamb is either out or held without a reception.
Tyler Smith
The next domino to fall for the Cowboys offensive line, may be the most impactful one of them all. Tyler Smith has missed the entire week of practice with a knee injury as the Cowboys prepare to face Quinnen Williams and the New York Jets.
Dallas did a nice job filling in the offensive line depth for 2025 and have received legitimate contributions from guys like Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass. However, it's not just Coober Beebe and Tyler Booker out, and veteran backups to fill their roles anymore. Should Smith miss this week against New York, the offensive line would be without their starter at all three interior positions and likely have to move Hakeem Adeniji or Trevor Keegan into the open slots.
