FRISCO – The Dallas Cowboys added another layer of secondary help before Sunday’s trip to Houston, elevating safety Juanyeh Thomas and cornerback Reddy Steward from the practice squad. The Saturday moves give Dallas more defensive options against the Texans while several regulars remain sidelined.

It’s a different kind of reinforcement from this week’s Joey Porter Jr. trade. Thomas and Steward give the Cowboys familiar depth, while Porter provides a new option on the outside. Dallas heads into the noon Central kickoff at 1-2; Houston is still looking for its first win at 0-3.

Familiar Help For A Thin Secondary

Steward was also elevated before last week’s game against Baltimore after Cobie Durant was ruled out. Durant remains out with a hamstring injury, so Dallas again has reason to keep its cornerback options open.

Thomas is being elevated for the first time this season after returning to the Cowboys’ practice squad this week. He already knows the organization, having played 36 games and made four starts for Dallas from 2023 through 2025.

The additions come with safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke on injured reserve. Getting more available defenders into the mix helps address that shortage, but the elevations alone don’t establish who will start or how the snaps will be divided.

Returns Add Options, Not Certainty

There’s encouraging news alongside those absences. Malik Hooker and Shavon Revel practiced fully Friday and have no game-status designation. As detailed in our Cowboys injury update, their availability gives Dallas more choices after a difficult opening stretch.

Porter wasn’t listed on Dallas’ injury report this week, either. His arrival adds another piece to a secondary that has spent the past several days adjusting personnel. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, meanwhile, remains out with a hamstring injury.

For the Cowboys, Sunday’s question is how all those pieces work together. Extra depth can help cover an injury-driven shortage, but communication and assignments still have to hold up once the game begins.

Dallas doesn’t have to ask every returning or elevated defender to carry the defense. It needs them to handle their roles. Saturday’s roster moves give the staff more options; the Texans matchup will show how effectively those options fit.