There is about to be one more able body angling for playing time among the Cowboys’ loaded defensive end group.
Tarell Basham’s 21-day practice window has been activated, as per head coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday; the 28-year-old could be returned to the active roster at any time over the next three weeks and could even play as early as this Sunday afternoon versus Detroit.
Basham suffered a quad injury on opening night against Tampa Bay. He was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 17, one of two moves the club made in order to sign Cooper Rush and Brett Maher to the full-time roster. (Rookie defensive tackle John Ridgeway was waived with hopes of re-signing him to the practice squad, but Washington snatched him up.)
The Ohio University product, who signed with Dallas last year as a free agent after stints with the Colts and Jets, is on the final year of his two-year contract. He did not log any stats during his 18 defensive snaps in Week 1, but amassed 3.5 sacks- tying his career-best mark- last season.
He’ll now look to rejoin a Cowboys unit that currently leads the NFL with 24 sacks, but Basham may find it hard to get back on the field. DeMarcus Lawrence and a surging Dorance Armstrong are solidly bookending the Dallas defensive line; Dante Fowler and Chauncey Golston have been subbing in nicely, rookie Sam Williams has shown flashes of promise, and linebacker sensation Micah Parsons continues to moonlight quite often at end.
Given the squad’s depth at the position, Basham’s name came up recently in an ESPN story about potential trade candidates. While the network’s Jeremy Fowler wrote that the team was “willing to part” with Basham in order to upgrade at another position, another report claimed that the Cowboys have fielded no calls about the six-year veteran.
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