OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys had several injured players moving closer to the field Thursday. Rookie cornerback Devin Moore was set to work back into practice, while defensive back Zion Childress is ahead of schedule with his hamstring injury.
Jonathan Bullard is also progressing as Dallas prepares for Saturday’s preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the only change from the previous day, with Dallas holding him out to check his knee. Moore was ready to get some work again.
“Yeah, really nothing to report,” Schottenheimer said. “Really the only thing that’s different: MVS will miss practice today. We’re getting a look at his knee. Nothing we’re overly concerned about. Devin Moore will work back into practice, John.”
Devin Moore Works Back Into Practice
Dallas drafted Moore at No. 114 overall in April after he started 11 games for Florida last season. He had 35 tackles, 6 pass breakups and 2 interceptions, along with 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and a forced fumble.
His four years with the Gators included 30 games and 17 starts. Moore finished with 64 tackles, 14 pass breakups and 5 interceptions.
Injuries cost him time early in college, and he was still working back from groin surgery when he arrived at the scouting combine roughly three months after the procedure. Moore ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis but did not do the rest of the testing or positional work until Florida’s pro day in March.
Dallas gave him a third-round grade before taking him in the fourth.
The pick came from Philadelphia. The Cowboys moved from No. 20 to No. 23 in the first round and received Nos. 114 and 137 while sending No. 218 back to the Eagles. Moore went at 114, and Dallas used 137 on defensive lineman LT Overton.
Moore signed a four-year contract worth $5.4 million. He is listed at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds and wears No. 29.
DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant, Shavon Revel Jr. and Caelen Carson are also in the cornerback room as Dallas gets into its three-game preseason schedule.
The roster has to be down to 53 players on Aug. 30.
Zion Childress, Jonathan Bullard Continue Progressing
Childress has been out since the opening week of training camp with a hamstring injury. On Aug. 8, Schottenheimer said he remained on schedule but still had some time left before returning.
Thursday’s update moved that timeline forward.
“Childress, Barham and Bullard are all doing well, progressing,” Schottenheimer explained. “Zion’s actually ahead of schedule.”
Dallas has not announced a return date for Childress.
The Cowboys originally signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Kentucky in 2025. Childress began his college career at Texas State and played 62 games between the two schools, recording 283 tackles and 18 pass breakups. He had 148 tackles over his final two college seasons.
His first NFL season included a few moves. Dallas waived Childress Aug. 27 and brought him back on the practice squad. Houston signed him away Sept. 24, then waived him Oct. 20.
Two days later, Childress was back on the Cowboys’ practice squad. Dallas signed him to a reserve/future contract Jan. 6 after he appeared in 2 games and made 1 tackle.
Childress is listed at 5-foot-11 and 203 pounds and wears No. 48.
Bullard came to Dallas much later in the offseason. He signed March 28 for one year and $2.5 million, with $1.5 million guaranteed.
Last season in New Orleans, Bullard appeared in 15 games and started 6. He finished with 26 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and 2 pass breakups while playing 325 defensive snaps.
This will be his 11th NFL season.
Chicago drafted Bullard in the third round at No. 72 overall in 2016. He has since played for Arizona, Seattle, Atlanta, Minnesota and New Orleans. Across 131 career games, Bullard has 247 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 59 starts.
His most recent full season as a starter came with Minnesota in 2024. Bullard started all 17 games that year and had 41 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 1 sack.
That season also put him with Cowboys defensive line coach Marcus Dixon, who was on Minnesota’s staff at the time.
Bullard was the third defensive line addition Dallas made this offseason after Otito Ogbonnia and Rashan Gary. He is part of a defense now working under Christian Parker and moving to a base 3-4.
Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham was also part of Schottenheimer’s Thursday update as he works back from a groin injury.
Dallas practices Friday at 1:45 p.m. CT before leaving Oxnard. Saturday’s preseason opener against Seattle starts at 7 p.m. CT at Lumen Field on CBS.
The Cowboys return to Oxnard after the game and finish the California portion of camp Aug. 18 with a joint practice against the New Orleans Saints.
