The 7-second play that handed the Dallas Cowboys a 34-31 loss against the Baltimore Ravens isn’t something we’re going to forget in a hurry. However, Week 4’s against the Houston Texans is almost upon us, and The Star has bigger things to worry about. Two injury designations have put the roster at risk, and Dallas now has to bank on Joey Porter Jr’s signing to provide an immediate cushion.

“The Cowboys expect cornerback Joey Porter to play on Sunday in Houston. That’s good news since they won’t have cornerback Cobie Durant (hamstring),” Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk writes. “Durant will miss his second consecutive game. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) will also miss another week. He has not played since his Week 1 injury.”

Beyond Durant and Overshown – who were already a question mark heading to Houston – Week 3 handed Dallas even more injury concerns. Nose Tackle Jonathan Bullard landed on the IR with a calf injury alongside safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring). Cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. was also dealing with an ankle/knee issue, missing Wednesday and Thursday’s practices, but was a full participant on Friday.

Now, this was a unit that was fully healthy through the offseason, riding the wave of optimism that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker brought with him. But coming out of Week 3 with such injury setbacks prompted owner/general manager Jerry Jones to look at the trade market and make the addition on defense he’s been teasing for quite some time. In his usual appearance on 105.3 The Fan after the loss against the Ravens, he noted “we’re right on top of it,” when asked about his interest in the cornerback market, adding that “there’s conversations going on.”

Those “conversations” led to Joey Porter Jr. joining the defensive backfield in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Porter – a second-round pick from 2023 – already has 41 regular-season starts across three seasons (‘23 – ‘25). In that tenure, he’s amassed 120 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss, defended 31 passes, and even logged three picks. On an average, quarterbacks have only managed a 66 passer rating when facing Porter. After being stuck in contract limbo with the Steelers through the offseason (and the first three weeks of the regular season), Porter finally adds the much-needed depth in Christian Parker’s secondary.

“He fits well,” Parker said of Porter after the trade. “He’s a high-level coverage player, plays with great length. He has a lot of experience against a lot of high-level receivers, so we have evidence about how he does in that environment. Really excited about having him here.”

Even for the looming visit to Houston, Porter provides something of an immediate upside. The last time he suited up against them (with the Steelers in the 2025 season’s Wild Card), Porter only allowed 3 catches and 26 yards while breaking up two passes. Porter himself seems fairly confident about his chances if he’s plugged in on Week 4.

“I feel like I played well last time I played them, in the playoffs,” he said. “So, now, the first time I’m suiting up, well, hopefully suiting up, it will be against them. That would be ideal. I’m pretty used to their scheme and what they want to do with (Nico Collins). I think I could be a matchup for that.

“… I’m a lockdown player at the end of the day. I’m a ball player that could get anything done that the coaches need from me, and I’m gonna do whatever I need to for my teammates. I’m really just excited, and I’m really just trying to hold my smile back.”

The Cowboys could mix up the lineup a bit to fit in Porter if he plays against the Texans, with Schottenheimer having a “really good plan if Porter does play.”

Now, Joe Porter Jr. isn’t the only player the Cowboys are optimistic about heading into Week 4. With so many injuries plaguing their defense, Dallas hosted 5 players for workouts on Tuesday, and got two new additions out of it.

After just one offseason with the Indianapolis Colts, former Cowboys safety was released in August. But he now returns to bolster the depth, bringing his appeal back as a fan favorite. Former New England Patriots cornerback Alex Austin is the other piece of the puzzle. Against Baltimore in Rio, the Cowboys also elevated nickel cornerback Reddy Stewart, who accounted for two snaps in the game. Now, he could also offer depth if Dallas needs him again.

Meanwhile, Shavon Revel Jr. is likely to return to the field in Week 4. Despite Jerry Jones originally calling it a “multiweek injury,” Revel’s practice participation had already sparked optimism around his game-day status, Then PFT’s Charean Williams offered some more.

“Safety Malik Hooker (forearm), outside linebacker James Houston (shoulder) and cornerback Shavon Revel (knee/ankle) are good to go for Sunday,” Williams writes.

Amid the team’s injury run, rookies Caleb Downs (NB) and Jaishawn Barham (LILB) have been standouts. The two lead the team in combined tackles with 21 and 20 respectively, with Downs also recording a sack, a tackle for loss, a pass defended, and three forced fumbles, while Barham adds four more TFLs to the stat sheet.

The Texans are 0-3 on the season, and hungry for their first regular season win. Home field advantage aside, the Cowboys’ injuries would have given them something more to be optimistic about. But the way Dallas has reshuffled its roster ahead of this matchup – and the addition of Joey Porter Jr. – could spell trouble for Houston if they cannot adjust on the fly.