Cowboys put P.J. Locke on IR and add two defenders to game-day depth

Dallas made three linked roster moves Saturday before its Week 3 meeting with Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro. The Cowboys’ official September 26 update says safety P.J. Locke was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury, linebacker Justin Barron moved to the 53-man roster and cornerback Reddy Steward was elevated from the practice squad.

Locke’s move is the most consequential change in timing. He hurt his foot against Washington in Week 2, but Dallas initially waited before using an injured-reserve designation. The decision now commits him to missing at least four games. Malik Hooker is also ruled out for the Ravens game with a fractured forearm. That leaves Jalen Thompson and Caleb Downs as the named starting safeties in the club’s update, with Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark among the depth options and Steward available after the elevation.

Barron played against Washington as a game-day elevation. His promotion to the 53 makes him a regular roster option while DeMarvion Overshown remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Cowboys’ update says Jaishawn Barham and Dee Winters were both banged up last week but finished that game. Dallas has not described Barron’s role Sunday beyond the additional linebacker depth, so projecting a snap count would go further than the announced transaction.

Steward’s elevation covers a different pressure point. Starting cornerback Cobie Durant is out with a hamstring injury sustained against Washington, and the Cowboys describe Steward as a versatile defender who handled nickel corner and some safety work in 2025. His availability gives Dallas another option at both positions after Locke’s IR move. It does not by itself reveal the personnel grouping Dallas will use against Lamar Jackson and Baltimore.

The three moves show how the roster plan has shifted between the final injury report and kickoff. Dallas entered the week with four players unable to make the Brazil trip: Overshown, Durant, Locke and Hooker. Saturday turned Locke’s short-term absence into a minimum four-game stay on IR, while Barron and Steward were added through distinct mechanisms. The final inactive list and opening defensive series will settle which replacements actually take the field.

For RSO roster managers, the practical test is depth rather than the announcement itself. The four-game IR minimum is the concrete availability change, while Barron’s 53-man promotion and Steward’s game-day elevation operate on different roster clocks. The team update does not announce a new contract, cap figure or permanent starter; those should not be inferred from the move. The Ravens can stress safeties and corners with Jackson’s movement and downfield passing. The Cowboys now have a verified list of available reinforcements, but their effectiveness will be measured Sunday.