Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham is currently dealing with an groin issue that began last week. Luckily, it’s not something serious that will keep the third-round pick from missing any significant action.
Some great news came about in regards to his status on Thursday. Barham is close to being cleared from his groin injury. Could he play versus the Seattle Seahawks in the Cowboys’ preseason opener on Saturday? Maybe.
📰 Jaishawn Barham is “close” to being cleared from his minor groin injury to play vs. Seahawks in #Cowboys upcoming preseason opener — per Schotty.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 13, 2026
But the bet is that he will return next week some time.
Cowboys LB Jaishawn Barham (groin) is close to returning to practice. Probably next weekhttps://t.co/opL9TiBUwD
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 13, 2026
Either way, Barham has been a standout during training camp up until this point. His ability to not only play linebacker but also on the edge, which is what he did at Michigan, has made him one of the young players that have a ton of potential to make an immediate impact in Christian Parker’s defense.
Barham is still a rookie, which means he does need game reps before the season to truly get used to the speed of the NFL. The Cowboys may choose not to rush that process. Just the fact that he’ll be back in pads soon is a win for Dallas.