The Dallas Cowboys signed safety Juanyeh Thomas on Tuesday after bringing him in for a workout, adding a player who already knows the building as injuries continue to thin the secondary.
Thomas spent four seasons with Dallas after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech in 2022. He played in 36 games and made four starts from 2022 through 2025, finishing with 62 tackles, five pass breakups and one forced fumble.
The 26-year-old was among five free agents who worked out at the team facility Tuesday. Cornerback Alex Austin, defensive backs Shemar Bartholomew and Tyrek Funderburk, and linebacker Germaine Pratt also took part.
Dallas also reached an agreement with Austin. The former seventh-round pick out of Oregon State has appeared in 29 games with six starts for the New England Patriots and Houston Texans, recording 31 tackles, eight passes defensed and one interception. Reports indicated Austin is joining the practice squad.
The Cowboys are 1-2 after a 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro. They visit the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Injuries have hit the defensive backfield hardest. Safety Malik Hooker has been limited by a fractured forearm suffered in the season opener. P.J. Locke is on injured reserve with a foot injury. Jalen Thompson left the Ravens game with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss at least four weeks, a timeline that could land him on injured reserve.
Cornerbacks Cobie Durant (hamstring) and Shavon Revel (knee) are also dealing with injuries. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown remains out with a hamstring issue, and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard is expected to miss three to five weeks with a calf injury.
That left Markquese Bell, Alijah Clark and first-round rookie Caleb Downs as the main remaining safeties before Thomas returned. Thomas started three games last season when Hooker was unavailable.
His 2025 season ended in November after chronic migraines led Dallas to place him on the non-football injury list. Thomas signed a one-year, $1.33 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts in March and was released on Aug. 30 during final roster cuts.
The Cowboys defense has allowed 387 yards per game through three weeks, ranking 30th in the NFL. Dallas is giving up 179.7 rushing yards per game, one of the worst marks in the league, and has produced only two sacks.
Opponents have scored 27.3 points per game against Dallas, which ranks 25th. The unit has allowed at least 20 points in every game this season.
Thomas also contributed on special teams in his first stint with the Cowboys. He recorded 15 special teams tackles over those four seasons and returned seven kickoffs for 187 yards in 2024, including a 43-yard touchdown. He blocked two kicks earlier in his career.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported the signing, writing: “Sources: The #Cowboys are signing S Juanyeh Thomas, bringing him back to where his NFL career began. Thomas joined Dallas as an undrafted free agent and played in 36 games from 2022-2025, recording 62 tackles, 5 PBUs and 1 forced fumble.”
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday the team has been “hit there” at safety and is “needing every last one of them right now because of the injuries.” Thompson is expected to miss “four-plus weeks.”
Thomas’ familiarity with the scheme is the main reason the reunion makes sense on short notice. Dallas needs bodies who can play without a long installation period while several starters work back from injury.
The Cowboys hope the addition stabilizes a secondary that has already used multiple backups in high-leverage situations this season.
