FRISCO, Texas -- On Sunday night against the Giants, Cowboys safety Malik Hooker and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown both suffered injuries that will sideline them a couple weeks, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
After saying following Dallas' 28-20 loss to New York that initial tests showed a fractured forearm for Malik Hooker, Schottenheimer confirmed Hooker did in fact suffer a fracture in his forearm. He will have surgery on Tuesday.
"It sounds like it's one that doesn't require as long a period of time [to recover]. So we're hoping it's a two week window." Schottenheimer said.
As for Overshown, Schottenheimer said Sunday night he wasn't sure the extent of his hamstring injury. That ended up being a strain, and Schottenheimer said it could be "one to two weeks as well" to recover from.
"We'll see how he does, but nothing long term." Schottenheimer said.
Now, the Cowboys will have to move pieces around at the linebacker position, as well as find a new green dot with Overshown serving as the main communicator in the season opener.
"Dee Winters, obviously most experienced of the group," Schottenheimer said of their options at the position. "Jaishawn [Barham] got some valuable playtime yesterday, did some good things, did some things that he needs to improve on. Shemar James is a valued member of our football team, very smart, very bright. And then we've got some guys on practice squad, we've got elevations. Curtis Robinson is a veteran, he's played a lot of football in this league. And then Justin Barron's a guy we have a lot of high expectations for."
With Hooker set to be sidelined as well, could that mean more safety snaps for first-round pick Caleb Downs? It doesn't sound like it, and it's because of where Schottenheimer and the Cowboys feel Downs can make his biggest impact.
"We love P.J. Locke," Schottenheimer said when asked if Downs would play more at the third level of the defense in Hooker's absence. "I think Caleb played really, really well... Caleb's a guy that can move around, but we like him down near the line of scrimmage."
The good news for Dallas is that neither of the injuries to their two veteran players appear to be long term. In the coming weeks, Dallas will host the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium and then travel to Rio de Janeiro to play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3.
