Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker may be sidelined for as many as six weeks after suffering a forearm fracture against the New York Giants, though his recovery schedule remains unknown. The injury occurred in the second half, and Hooker did not return. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said following the game that he thought Hooker had broken the forearm.
Hooker is consulting a hand specialist, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. The expected absence will be shaped by which bone was damaged and the type of break, since some fractures heal faster than others. Cowboys co-owner Stephen Jones said certain breaks can be played through, so Hooker might not miss a game.
Dallas also lost linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to a hamstring injury early in the opener, and the source provided no further information about his condition. Caleb Downs and Jalen Thompson handled the main safety duties in Week 1 when Downs was not in the slot. P.J.
Locke could fill Hooker’s spot, with Alijah Clark and Markquese Bell also potentially seeing more action. Clark and Bell did not play a defensive snap in the opener.
Hooker’s contract expires after this season, when he is set to enter free agency. He had been considered a possible trade or release candidate after Dallas reshaped its safety group, but he stayed with the team and played a substantial defensive role in the opener. His future with Dallas beyond this season has not been determined.
