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Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys lose key pass rusher for start of 2026 NFL season
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- Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys lose key pass rusher for start of 2026 NFL season
Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys lose key pass rusher for start of 2026 NFL season originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Dallas Cowboys ' pass-rush depth took a serious hit on Tuesday. Defensive end Charles Snowden has been suspended for the first three games of the 2026 season, following a DUI arrest from his time with the Las Vegas Raiders back in Dec. 2024.
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"Cowboys DE Charles Snowden has been suspended for the first three games of the season, per today's wire," ESPN's Adam Schefter posted on X . "Snowden, per the NFL, 'is eligible to participate in all preseason activities, including games; his suspension will take effect as of the roster reduction to 53 players.'"
Snowden pleaded no contest to the DUI charge this past January. He had to pay a $1,000 fine and complete mandatory DUI and coroner's courses. Because the suspension doesn't kick in until final roster cuts, he can still practice and play with the team all through the preseason.
The Maryland native signed a one-year, $1.075 million deal with Dallas in June after a tryout. They brought him in for depth behind Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Malachi Lawrence.
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Dallas had to rebuild this entire pass-rush group after trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers last year. In his last two seasons with the Raiders, Snowden started 18 games and had 4.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 67 tackles. Missing three games will cost him about $189,705.
With Snowden out early, Dallas will lean heavily on Gary and Ezeiruaku. It also means Lawrence, Tyrus Wheat, and Isaiah Land get a bigger chance to earn final roster spots. This unit is under a lot of pressure because the pass rush was one of the weakest in the league last year after Parsons left.
The Cowboys head to training camp in Oxnard on July 27. Snowden can play in all three preseason games before the suspension starts. He can return for Week 4 against the Houston Texans on Oct. 4. It is only a three-game problem, but it hits right as Dallas opens against the New York Giants , Washington Commanders , and Baltimore Ravens .
