‘Still In The Protocol’: Caleb Downs, P.J. Locke Leave Dallas Cowboys’ Secondary In Question Before Indianapolis Colts
FRISCO, Texas — Safeties Caleb Downs and P.J. Locke remain in the concussion protocol, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday, leaving the Dallas Cowboys with an unsettled secondary four days before Sunday’s game at the Indianapolis Colts.
Both missed Wednesday’s practice. Downs was listed with a concussion and an ankle injury after leaving the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Locke played Sunday for the first time since coming off injured reserve, after missing five games with a foot injury.
“And then both Caleb and PJ are still in the protocol,” Schottenheimer said during his opening injury update.
Downs, the No. 11 overall pick in April, leads the Cowboys with 30 tackles. Schottenheimer first said Monday that both safeties had entered the protocol.
Brian Schottenheimer Says Dallas Can Elevate Or Move Players To Safety
Downs and Locke were both doing well Wednesday, Schottenheimer said, but the protocol is a long process. If neither is cleared, Dallas can elevate help from the practice squad or slide defenders with nickel experience back to safety.
“Well, we’ve got some guys on practice squad that we could elevate, but both those guys are doing good today,” Schottenheimer explained. “But there’s a long process, obviously. But we’ve got some things in place that there’s some guys that have experience playing both nickel and safety that we could move around.”
Safety Jalen Thompson will not be part of the answer this week. Thompson is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and Schottenheimer said his practice window is “not yet” open.
Teams will keep testing the Dallas coverage underneath, in Schottenheimer’s view, and Sunday’s breakdowns did not all come from the same call.
“It’s been different calls. One of the calls last week was a man to man call. We were just playing a little bit too deep and he got out there,” Schottenheimer said. “But it’s certainly an area that teams are going to continue to attack.”
Joey Porter Jr. Expected To Be Fine After Ankle Injury
Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. played through an ankle injury Sunday and was in and out of the lineup. Schottenheimer kept Wednesday’s update on him to one line.
“Joey should do good,” Schottenheimer said.
On Monday, Schottenheimer said Porter was getting a series of tests and that this week would show how close the cornerback is to playing through the ankle injury.
“Yeah, he’s trying to battle through it,” Schottenheimer said Monday. “He’s getting a bunch of tests done, things like that, and we’re hopeful. But as a competitor, you understand why there would be frustration.”
Dallas acquired Porter from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 1 for a 2028 second-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. Pittsburgh drafted him 32nd overall in 2023, and he is in the final year of his rookie contract.
Indianapolis could be without one of its receivers by Sunday. Josh Downs, Caleb Downs’ older brother, requested a trade last week and leads the Colts with 30 catches for 330 yards. The NFL trade deadline is Nov. 10.
The Colts are 2-6 and have lost four straight. Kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium is set for noon CT on FOX, and final injury designations are due Friday. Schottenheimer also updated linebacker Dee Winters and rookie Malachi Lawrence, and DSJ’s Wednesday injury report on Winters and Lawrence has those details.
