Malik Hooker may miss up to six weeks after breaking his forearm in the Dallas Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to the New York Giants, but the team does not yet have a firm recovery timetable. The safety was hurt in the second half and did not return.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Hooker is meeting with a hand specialist to determine the injury’s extent and expected absence. The specific bone and type of break will affect the recovery, with some fractures healing faster than others. Coach Brian Schottenheimer said following the game that he thought Hooker had fractured the forearm.
Team co-owner Stephen Jones said certain breaks can be played through, so Hooker might not miss a game.
Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown also exited the opener because of a hamstring injury, and the source material provided no further update. Dallas primarily used Caleb Downs and Jalen Thompson at safety when Downs was not in the slot. P.J. Locke could fill Hooker’s spot, while Alijah Clark and Markquese Bell could see more chances. Neither played a defensive snap in Week 1.
Hooker’s contract expires after this season, when he is set to reach free agency. He had been considered an offseason trade or release possibility after Dallas reshaped its safeties, but he stayed and played a significant defensive role in the opener. His future with the Cowboys remains unsettled.
