Juanyeh Thomas: The Cowboys’ Missing Piece At Safety
Juanyeh Thomas tackling, versatility, and discipline prove he deserves a starting safety role for the Dallas Cowboyswhile helping mask Donovan Wilsons flaws.
The Case for Juanyeh Thomas
The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2025 season with high expectations for their defense, believing it could be a stabilizing force. Instead, it has been marked by inconsistency, particularly in the secondary.
Missed tackles, lapses in coverage, and poor communication have led to too many explosive plays, forcing the unit to play on its heels.
Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has leaned on veterans to provide stability, but the results havent matched the talent level.
Thats why Juanyeh Thomas deserves a closer look. In the last two weeks, Thomas has quietly delivered some of the steadiest safety play on the roster.
He has been assignment-sound, dependable as a tackler, and versatile enough to line up at free safety, in the box, or even in the slot without being a liability.
For a Dallas defense struggling to find answers, his performance should earn him a promotion into the starting lineup.
What the Last Two Weeks Show
From PFF, Juanyeh Thomas has put together back-to-back solid weeks. In Week 3 against Chicago, he played nine snaps, eight of them in the box and one at free safety.
Despite the limited usage, he graded out well with a 72.5 defensive grade, a 69.5 run defense grade, and a 74.7 tackling grade. More importantly, he recorded two tackles without a single miss and was not targeted in coverage.
The following week against Green Bay, his role expanded significantly. Thomas was on the field for 51 snaps, spending 37 at free safety, six in the box, seven in the slot, and one at corner.
He posted a 66.1 defensive grade, highlighted by an outstanding 80.6 tackling grade and a steady 65.8 coverage grade. Once again, he finished with two tackles and no misses, while keeping a clean sheet in coverage by not allowing a single reception.
Taken together, Thomas two-week stretch shows a defender who can be trusted. In 60 snaps, he logged four tackles, did not miss any, and never gave up a catch.
His alignment versatility is equally impressive, demonstrating that he can function as a true free safety while also rotating into the box or covering from the slot when needed.
Why Juanyeh Thomas Fits What Dallas Needs
Dallas has been repeatedly beaten on deep overs, crossers, and seam routes. Juanyeh Thomass ability to play as a disciplined post safety in Week 4 against the Packers showed that he can help limit those types of explosive plays.
The Cowboys have also suffered from poor tackling angles, something Thomas has avoided by making every play he had a chance at over the past two weeks.
His reliability in space makes him the kind of safety this defense desperately needs.
Another factor in Thomass favor is his flexibility within Eberflus system. By rotating between free safety, the box, and the slot, he gives the Cowboys the ability to disguise coverages and change the look for opposing quarterbacks.
That level of adaptability is something Dallas has lacked, and it provides a tactical advantage that goes beyond just plugging a hole at safety.
How Thomas Can Mask Donovan Wilsons Weaknesses
Donovan Wilson remains an enforcer near the line of scrimmage, but his limitations in coverage have been exposed.
He has been targeted twelve times, allowing eight receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns, while opponents have posted a 99.3 passer rating when throwing his way.
By starting Juanyeh Thomas alongside Donovan Wilson, Dallas can balance the safety pairing.
Thomas has demonstrated his ability to handle more of the deep coverage responsibilities, keeping receivers in front of him and eliminating breakdowns that lead to big plays.
With Thomas controlling the back end, Wilson is freed up to play downhill, attack gaps in the run game, and cover short zones where his physical style is most effective.
This arrangement lets both players focus on their strengths while reducing the chances that Wilson will be isolated and exploited in space.
Why the Cowboys Must Act Now
The Cowboys cannot afford to let another season slip away because of defensive breakdowns in the secondary.
Juanyeh Thomas steady play and versatility give Dallas exactly what it has been missinga safety who can clean up mistakes, tackle reliably in space, and provide stability in coverage.
Starting him not only helps mask DonovanWilsons weaknesses but also strengthens the entire structure of the defense.
With playoff hopes on the line, small tweaks like elevating Thomas could make a massive difference.
The Cowboys dont need him to be a superstarthey need him to be consistent, assignment-sound, and dependable. And through the past two weeks, thats exactly what hes proven to be.
If Dallas wants to re-establish its defensive identity and make a real push in the NFC East, it starts by giving Juanyeh Thomas the chance to take over at safety.
Nick Sirianni is playing with fire by sticking with laboring Eagles star
There aren’t many NFL players tougher than Philadelphia Eagles left guard Landon Dickerson.
During last year’s playoff run, Dickerson was an ironman for the Eagles. He injured his left knee during the NFC Championship Game while playing center in place of teammate Cam Jurgens; clearly operating at less than 100 percent, he returned two weeks later and gutted out every meaningful snap possible against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
Dickerson has battled more injuries to open the 2025 regular season. During a training camp practice, he suffered a meniscus issue — this time to his right knee — that required minor surgery, leaving his availability for the first month of the season up in the air.
True to form, Dickerson entered Week 1 with no injury designation despite dealing with back and knee issues. He’s since played 235 snaps through the Eagles’ first four games of the season, per
Dickerson’s dedication to his craft and teammates is admirable. His performance has left much to be desired, though, and head coach Nick Sirianni is tempting fate by letting his star lineman struggle through multiple injuries this early in the season.
Philadelphia Eagles LG Landon Dickerson is struggling in pass protection to start the 2025 season
Jalen Hurts was sacked twice during Sunday’s 31-25 win over the Buccaneers, and both of them came through Dickerson's lane. Eagles writer Anthony DiBona believes it’s time to start worrying about Philly’s Pro Bowl left guard, due to his health.
“Landon Dickerson has become a liability this season, as he continues to try and play through multiple injuries. Dickerson has already allowed 13 total pressures and three sacks through Philadelphia’s first four games, according to Pro Football Focus. To put Dickerson’s struggles in perspective, he has never allowed more than five sacks in a single season.”
Despite a 4-0 start and incredible efficiency in the red zone — the Eagles have now converted touchdowns on all 11 drives that have breached the opponent’s 20-yard line — Sirianni’s offense has failed to string together four quarters of good football. New play caller Kevin Patullo has become the easy scapegoat, but the team’s poor play up front has been impossible to ignore through the first month of the season. Hurts is averaging a career-low 6.0 yards per pass attempt; the running game, with Saquon Barkley, has plummeted to 3.5 yards per attempt, which ranks 29th in the NFL.
There’s blame to go around, and the offensive line deserves its fair share of the pie. Dickerson is obviously struggling. Superstar right tackle Lane Johnson has been on and off the field for two weeks due to a nagging back injury. Right guard Tyler Steen hurt his knee during Sunday's game, missed a handful of snaps, and returned with an apparent limp.
Sirianni will have some difficult decisions during practice this week. The Eagles can’t afford to lose critical protectors like Dickerson and Johnson for an extended period of time. They also can’t really afford to rest them this week, not with another formidable defensive front in the Denver Broncos waiting on deck.
Philly’s top guys will likely stay on the field as long as they can still walk. The standard is the standard, to steal a quote from Mike Tomlin.
But is that the best approach for the team this early in the season? That figures to be a major talking point in Philadelphia going forward.
