Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham smiles toward a coach while standing on the practice field in helmet and jersey.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham looks toward a coach during a rookie minicamp practice at the Star in Frisco, Texas, on May 1, 2026. The third-round pick out of Michigan, taken 92nd overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, emerged as one of the Cowboys' standouts through the opening week of training camp, which began July 28, 2026, in Oxnard, California. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Dallas Cowboys LB Jaishawn Barham Held Out Of Saturday Practice With Groin Injury, Jalen Thompson Works Back In

Grant AfsethAugust 8, 2026August 8, 2026

DSJ Quick Take: Jaishawn Barham Out Of Saturday Practice With Groin Injury

Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham will not practice Saturday in Oxnard because of a groin injury, and the injury is not considered serious. Safety Jalen Thompson is working back in from a hip injury.

Who is out Saturday? Barham (groin) is held out, and Malik Hooker has an excused absence for personal reasons.
Who is returning? Jalen Thompson (hip) is working back in after Schottenheimer said Thursday that he was doing great.
Who else is banged up? Jonathan Bullard and Devin Moore are both dealing with groins, and Zion Childress (hamstring) is still a couple of weeks away.
What is next? Dallas practices Sunday in Oxnard, then holds a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday in Woodland Hills before the preseason opener Aug. 15 at Seattle, 7 p.m. CT.

OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham will not practice Saturday because of a groin injury, and the injury is not considered serious.

Barham did not finish Thursday’s practice in uniform. He spent a few minutes in the medical tent, walked off the field and into the training room, and returned in street clothes to watch the rest of the session. Friday was a scheduled off day, so Saturday’s session is the first practice since he exited.

Safety Jalen Thompson will be working back in Saturday after missing time with a hip injury. Before Thursday’s practice, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Thompson was doing great and was being held out that day because of the following off day.

Defensive end Jonathan Bullard and cornerback Devin Moore are also dealing with groin injuries. Both were listed in the rehab group on Thursday, when the team listed Bullard with a hamstring injury.

Safety Malik Hooker has an excused absence Saturday for personal reasons.

Jaishawn Barham’s Standing In The Linebacker Room

Dallas drafted Barham 92nd overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, using a pick acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the Osa Odighizuwa trade. Schottenheimer said after the selection that Barham would line up at inside linebacker, the spot where he began his college career. Barham worked with the inside linebackers through the offseason program.

Barham has taken reps with the first-team defense through the opening stretch of camp. On Tuesday, he saw additional first-team work with linebacker DeMarvion Overshown limited by leg soreness. Overshown was cleared to return for Thursday’s practice, along with offensive tackle Tyler Guyton (elbow) and safety Alijah Clark (ankle).

Barham spent his first two college seasons at Maryland before transferring to Michigan for 2024 and 2025. In 2025, he recorded 4 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 3 passes defensed. He signed a four-year rookie contract that runs through the 2029 season, with a base salary of $885,000 in 2026 and a $1.42 million signing bonus.

The Rest Of The Cowboys Defensive Injury List

Thompson signed a three-year, $33 million contract in March, the largest outside free-agent deal Dallas has given a player since Brandon Carr in 2012. He missed time during OTAs and minicamp with a pectoral injury and worked with the rehab group. In 2025 with the Arizona Cardinals, Thompson played 15 games and finished with 95 tackles and 1 interception. Over 99 career games, he has 578 tackles, 9 interceptions, and 37 passes defended.

Bullard agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal on March 28, with $1.5 million guaranteed. Dallas is his seventh NFL team, and 2026 is his 11th season. Last season with the New Orleans Saints, Bullard appeared in 15 games with 6 starts and totaled 26 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 pass breakups. He has 247 tackles and 6.5 sacks across 131 career games.

Moore came off the board 114th overall in the fourth round, on a four-year contract worth $5.4 million. At Florida in 2025, he started all 11 games and posted 35 tackles and 2 interceptions. Injuries limited him to a combined 12 games across his first two college seasons.

Hooker is in his sixth season with Dallas after signing during the first week of training camp in 2021. Over 12 games last season, he recorded 52 tackles and 1 pass defensed.

Cornerback Zion Childress (hamstring) also remained out Thursday, and Schottenheimer said Childress is still a couple of weeks away. Tight end Princeton Fant tore his ACL and partially tore his MCL during the first padded practice on Aug. 3 and is set to be moved to injured reserve.

Dallas practices again Sunday in Oxnard. The Cowboys hold a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday at Rams Village in Woodland Hills, California, then close the Oxnard portion of camp with open practices Thursday and Friday. The preseason opener comes Aug. 15 at the Seattle Seahawks at 7 p.m. CT.