The Cowboys designated safety Malik Hooker to return from injured reserve on Thursday, per a team announcement.
Hooker, 29, started the first four games of the season (alongside Donovan Wilson, his running mate for the last four years) before a toe injury landed him on IR. That started a shuffle of safeties in Dallas, which, along with their cornerback injuries, has contributed to their bottom-five pass defense.
Juanyeh Thomas replaced Hooker in Weeks 5 and 6 before he was sidelined by recurrent migraines. Markquese Bell started next to Wilson in Week 7, but Wilson suffered an elbow injury in that game. That pressed undrafted rookie Alijah Clark into action for his first career start the following week. Thomas’ condition briefly improved, allowing him to start with Bell in Week 9, but he was placed on the non-football illness list shortly after.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said last week that he is hoping that both Hooker and Wilson can play in Week 11. The Cowboys are set to play the Cardinals on Monday Night Football, so their starting safeties will have an extra day to practice.
Hooker, a former first-round pick, dealt with a handful of injuries in Indianapolis during his first four NFL seasons. He only missed four games across his first four years in Dallas before his toe issue this season.
The veteran’s return should help a cowboys pass defense that has struggled this year. Dallas has allowed the fourth-most yards per attempt and per game this year. They seem to have made some progress in the last few weeks, though they have faced an easier slate of opponents.
Hooker will have 21 days to practice with the team before he must be activated to the 53-man roster. Otherwise, he will revert to season-ending injured reserve.