Cowboys news: Jaishawn Barham to start at middle linebacker, wear green dot

Despite a frustrating rookie debut, the Dallas Cowboys will give the green dot to linebacker Jaishawn Barham as he starts in place of the injured DeMarvion Overshown. Another rookie, safety Caleb Downs, performed very well against the Giants, but he's looking to take his play to an even higher plateau.

All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb didn't have the performance in Week 1 he wanted, but he's chomping at the bit to play inside AT&T Stadium this Sunday. Starting the season 0-2 in the NFL is all but a guarantee that a team won't make the playoffs, and Dallas desperately wants to avoid that as well as getting a second loss in NFC East play.

Why Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys trust rookie Jaishawn Barham in first start at MLB - Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News

Jaishawn Barham didn't have the best game in his first taste of NFL action. However, with DeMarvion Overshown on the shelf, he'll get the start on Sunday against the Commanders.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer made it official Friday when he namedJaishawn Barham the starting middle linebacker for the home opener against the Washington Commanders.

StarterDeMarvion Overshown is out for the game with a hamstring strain, suffered in the season opener against the New York Giants.

He's got great command of what we're doing,"Schottenheimer said of Barham. Again, had to get into a little teaching moment this morning on the radio. Again, the green dot, I think gets overblown at times, basically what you're doing, you're repeating the call and then you're setting the fronts and all that. And then the entire defense needs to communicate."

Caleb Downs looking to build off NFL debut vs. Commanders - Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com

Caleb Downs was among the best defensive players on the Cowboys in their loss to the Giants in Week 1. Now, as the Commanders come to Dallas, he wants to be even better.

Cowboys first-round pick Caleb Downs rarely came off the field in his NFL debut last Sunday against the Giants, playing 60 defensive snaps and tallying seven tackles, three quarterback pressures and a sack.

On Sunday, Downs will take the field for his first game at AT&T Stadium as a Cowboy, where he's aiming to build off his start to the year.

Excitement, honestly," Downs said about Sunday's game. It's the best feeling to be able to play this game. There's no really other way to feel about it then just straight joy. I'm excited to do that, and we're excited to do what we need to do to get a win."

Cowboys looking to avoid the wrong side of history in Sunday's home opener - Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The Cowboys will try to avoid an 0-2 start on Sunday. If not, history shows that they'll likely be in for a long and disappointing season.

Since 1990, only 35 of 287 NFL teams that have started 0-2 have made the playoffs. Of those 35 teams, only four have lost both games to divisional opponents.

The Dallas Cowboys will look to avoid having to make that same kind of history this season, as they look to get in the win column for the first time against the Washington Commanders in the home opener on Sunday afternoon in Arlington.

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Dallas Cowboys' Friday Injury Report Includes Two Sidelined Starters - Randy Gurzi, SI.com

Dallas will be without a couple of key defenders this weekend. A few others dealing with ailments were full participants on Friday.

Malik Hooker went down with a forearm injury, which was later deemed to be a fracture that would force him out for a few weeks. Also injured in the loss was linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who suffered a hamstring injury.

Neither will play this weekend against the Washington Commanders, but the good news is that Friday's injury report from practice is thin beyond Hooker and Overshown.

CeeDee Lamb can't wait' for chance to bounce back in home opener vs. Commanders - Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com

Lamb only had 44 yards on five receptions against the Giants. With the Cowboys staring at an 0-2 hole, he's ready to have his first big performance of 2026.

Can't wait. Can't wait," the three-time All-Pro receiver said. I know the city gonna be rocking. The game iss gonna be fire. I can't wait to just go out there and have everybody excited, score a couple of touchdowns and blow the roof off the place."

The urgency to dictate terms against the incoming Commanders must also fuel the Cowboys toward getting a fast start, something they failed to do by going three-and-out on their first offensive series from scrimmage at MetLife Stadium.

3 Keys: Big-play shots must return for Cowboys to beat Commanders - Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire

There's a lot that the Cowboys have to fix from their performance in their season opener. Here are three things that need to happen.

Key No. 1: Stop the run

Filed under, easier said than done," stopping the run has to be the first priority for the Cowboys this week. Washington ranked right around league average in rushing EPA last week, but they faced off against a talented Philadelphia defense and largely kept their biggest threat, Jayden Daniels, holstered and underutilized. The Commanders pose a much bigger threat on the ground than the numbers indicate, and the Cowboys have to be ready.

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