The Dallas Cowboys are having a tough week when it comes to injury news. Much of this speaks to the draining overtime draw against the Green Bay Packers and the level of physicality it demanded; however, this doesn't make it any easier to be missing so many pieces heading into a very winnable game against the New York Jets.
Safety Malik Hooker can be added to the list of key injuries, with Dallas Cowboys insider Tommy Yarrish reporting that Hooker is likely to miss Week 5 due to a toe injury. But as the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens.
Hooker's potential absence could set the stage for Juanyeh Thomas' first start of the 2025 season.
Update (Oct. 2, 1:45 p.m. ET): ESPN's Todd Archer has since confirmed that Hooker will miss Week 5, and Thomas will start in his place.
Cowboys Injury to Malik Hooker Opens the Door for Juanyeh Thomas to Make 1st Start of 2025
While the 26-year-old defensive back remains a great story, there isn't a lot of trust in Thomas to go out and play at a high level. He's only started once in 33 career outings, with that instance coming during his rookie season. He also only played 10 defensive snaps through the first three weeks of the season before playing 51 in Week 4.
Still, the young DB sounds ready for the opportunity.
"It's something I've been practicing for... I prep like a starter every week, so this is nothing different," Thomas said to Yarrish. "This was a chance for me to come in and see if I can help. Like I said, I practice for this moment. I won't do anything different, I'll just see what I can do."
Having said that, coverage units are where Thomas has shone, proven by his 85.9 and 61.8 Pro Football Focus coverage grades in his first two seasons. He also played to a coverage mark of 65.8 last week and even successfully made both of his tackling attempts.
With how poorly the secondary has played, it would take only one strong start from the depth piece to completely flip his position on its head. This isn't a shot at Hooker, who has been one of the more reliable pieces on the Cowboys' defense, but rather pointing out the opportunity that injuries provide. Besides, it isn't like Hooker is irreplaceable (60.0 overall grade).
If Thomas can come in and bring obvious energy to the group or create a turnover, the perception could quickly change for a defender who continues to be a great story for the organization. Dallas signed Thomas back in the 2022 season as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech. Slowly, the defender has worked his way up the depth chart and now into a depth role and a key contributor on special teams.
While it isn't his first time in the defensive lineup, it is a clear opportunity for Thomas to secure a role in the Cowboys' secondary for the rest of the season. If not, he'll likely be back in a special teams role sooner rather than later, adding to the pressure he'll be under this weekend.