Cowboys sign little-known DT with injury history to practice squad

todd brock

Wed, Oct 16, 2024, 9:04 PM·2 min read

Jan 7, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; A view of Dallas Cowboys players' helmets on the bench against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Cowboys are trying to patch the holes in an injury-riddled defense by bringing in more depth, this time a player who is already quite familiar with pro football trainers' rooms.

The team signed defensive tackle Jalen Dalton to their practice squad on Wednesday following an earlier workout.

Dalton is a 27-year-old North Carolina native who has seen time with four NFL teams, an XFL squad, and a UFL club, but has very limited game experience.

After going undrafted in 2019, the 6-foot-6-inch Dalton signed with the Bears but did not survive final cuts. Late in the 2019 NFL season, the Saints brought him aboard their practice squad. Two separate season-ending injuries cost him both the 2020 and 2021 campaigns; he was released without ever seeing the field for New Orleans.

Dalton got a new chance with the Falcons in 2022, but another injury in the preseason saw him released before Week 1. Atlanta brought him back midseason, and he finally turned a practice squad stint into seven game appearances that season. He had 13 career tackles, playing 145 defensive snaps.

A 2023 waiver claim by Carolina never worked out; Dalton was released with a failed physical designation after four days. He looked to the XFL next; he was signed by the Seattle Sea Dragons in late 2023 but never played for them before the team folded in the XFL/USFL merge. He was picked up by the UFL's San Antonio Brahmas in 2024's dispersal draft and logged 12 tackles and two sacks over seven games... before being moved to injured reserve in May.

The Cowboys officially announced the following transactions:

- DL Jalen Dalton signed to the practice squad
- DT Phil Hoskins released from the practice squad
— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) October 16, 2024

Osa Odishizuwa led the Cowboys defensive tackles with 40 snaps in Sunday's 47-9 loss to Detroit. Mazi Smith played 32 snaps; nose tackle Linval Joseph had 29.

Defensive tackle Phil Hoskins was released from the Dallas practice squad on Wednesday to make room for Dalton.