The Dallas Cowboys’ chances of beating the Houston Texans just got a lot better. Friday’s injury report could not have gone any better for Dallas ahead of its Week 4 matchup, and the positions to watch are cornerback and safety. The Cowboys look much healthier there than anyone expected a few days ago.

Not everything broke Dallas’ way, though. Let’s break it down.

Shavon Revel Jr. is good to go

Let’s start with cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. He missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, and he looked like a long shot to play Sunday. He even told reporters he did not feel 100% on Wednesday. Then he was upgraded to a full participant Friday, and he carries no game designation.

That means he should be good to go against Houston. And that is much bigger than it seems. 

Joey Porter Jr. is the reason why. The newly acquired cornerback wasn’t on the injury report all week, which is a major sign he’s healthy. That matters because of the back injury some people are calling “contractitis” after the trade.

Even so, healthy doesn’t mean ready for a full workload. I’d expect Porter to be on some kind of snap count Sunday. He’s new to the team, he’s still learning the scheme, and he hasn’t played this season. There’s going to be a ramp-up period.

That’s where Revel comes in. Without him, the Cowboys would essentially be forced to lean on Porter. As a secondhand effect, that could hold the scheme back, even just a little bit, and lead to a simplified game plan the Texans could take advantage of.

The expectation is still that Porter debuts Sunday, even though Dallas hasn’t made an official statement and has left it open-ended. If he does, pairing him with Revel should be huge against a Houston offense that gets its best wide receiver, Nico Collins, back.

Malik Hooker returns, and the safety question remains

The other big update is safety Malik Hooker, who also carries no game designation. He was limited Wednesday and Thursday before practicing in full Friday.

Hooker is ready to go. And let me tell you, what a warrior.

He underwent forearm surgery after a wrist injury in Week 1, missed a couple of games, and now he’s back. The timing couldn’t be better. The Cowboys have lost P.J. Locke, who replaced Hooker in Week 2, and the other starting safety, Jalen Thompson.

So who lines up next to him? That’s the remaining question.

Will it be Caleb Downs, who has mostly played nickel this season? Or will it be a backup like Markquese Bell, Alijah Clark, or one of the defensive backs Dallas recently signed to the practice squad? We’ll see.

The not-so-positive news for the Cowboys

That being said, the injury report wasn’t all good news. Cobie Durant is out, as expected. So is linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.

For yet another week, that means Jaishawn Barham starts at middle linebacker. If you ask me, that has honestly been a bit of an upgrade.

Where Overshown’s absence might hurt the most is elsewhere. Dee Winters stays in the starting lineup at linebacker, and he has struggled more than expected, particularly in coverage and tackling in open space.

Still, the Cowboys are much healthier than they were earlier in the week.

Texans’ injury report: A banged-up second level

On the Houston side, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is officially out. Safety M.J. Stewart is out, too.

The Texans also have four questionable players: Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who led the Cowboys in sacks in 2025, defensive end Logan Hall, linebacker Jake Hansen, and guard Ed Ingram, who is questionable despite practicing fully Friday

The big headline is Al-Shaair. Henry To’oTo’o, Houston’s other starting linebacker, is on injured reserve. With both starters unavailable, Hansen’s status is a big deal. Dallas will face a pretty banged-up defense on the second level.

However, the edge is a different story. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter are two of the best pass rushers in the NFL, and the Texans have a stingy defense overall.

This should be a fun one. An in-state matchup worth watching Sunday.