Caleb Downs and Jaishawn Barham are expected to start for Dallas on defense when the Cowboys face Baltimore on Sunday. Malachi Lawrence, another member of the team’s 2026 draft class, is slated to contribute in the defensive rotation.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer said the Cowboys intended to give their younger players substantial opportunities. He called Downs an elite player and said Barham has generated major turnovers when playing. Schottenheimer also pointed to Lawrence’s pass-rushing ability while noting that the rookies are still developing and will make mistakes.
Dallas is also managing several absences from its most recent practice. Cobie Durant, Malik Hooker and P.J. Locke, all defensive backs, did not take part, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown was also absent. The sports.yahoo.com report did not give additional information about those absences.
Source: sports.yahoo.com.