The Cowboys defense has struggled mightily in 2025, but the team will be getting some veteran reinforcement in time for Monday Night Football. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, the team has activated safety Malik Hooker from injured reserve.
[RELATED: Cowboys Designate Malik Hooker For Return]
Hooker suffered a toe injury back in Week 4 that has shelved him for more than a month. He was designated for return from IR just last Thursday, and the Cowboys didn’t take long to add him to the active roster.
After serving in a rotational role during his first season in Dallas, Hooker has emerged as one of the team’s most dependable defenders in recent years. He missed only a pair of games between 2022 and 2024, starting 38 of his 49 appearances while hauling in six interceptions. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded him as an above-average safety in each of those three campaigns, including a 13th-place showing in 2022 and 14th-place finish in 2023.
After dropping down to 43rd at his position in 2024, PFR ranked Hooker only 58th among 93 qualifiers in 2025. Still, that should represent an upgrade over the revolving door of safeties the Cowboys have turned to next to Donovan Wilson, who has missed the past two contests with an elbow/shoulder issue. Juanyeh Thomas got an initial look in the starting lineup, while Markquese Bell has seen the bulk of the snaps at the position in recent weeks. Alijah Clark and Zion Childress have also gotten some run in the secondary.
To make room on the roster, the team placed rookie offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius on injured reserve. The sixth-round pick has been dealing with a knee injury that will sideline him for at least the next month. The Cowboys also promoted running back Malik Davis from the practice squad for tonight’s matchup against the Raiders.