It didn’t take long for Damone Clark to find a new job.
One day after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, the former 17-game starter was quickly swooped up by the Houston Texans.
“The Texans claimed LB Damone Clark off waivers from the Cowboys,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account on Wednesday, November 19.
Clark slots in right away on Houston’s 2-deep at inside linebacker and will likely get a chance to crack the starting lineup sooner than later and could be on the field sooner than late — the Texans host the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football in Week 12.
Houston is also very much in the playoff hunt with a 5-5 record and currently sitting at third place in the AFC South.
Getting picked up right away lined up with what Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said about Clark after he was let go.
“What an incredible young man he is,” Schottenheimer said. “In my conversation with Damone, I said, ‘Hey, man, your career is just getting started. Sometimes change is good. I really believe that. That’s not bulls—.”
Clark was one of 3 players released by the Cowboys on November 18 along with center Wesley French and tight end John Stephens.
Clark Was One of Cowboys’ Veteran Defenders
Clark was in his fifth season with the Cowboys, who drafted him in the fifth round (No. 176 overall) out of LSU in the 2022 NFL draft. He started 26 games in his time in Dallas, including all 17 regular-season games in 2023, when he had a career high 109 tackles.
With the Texans, he’ll get to work with a defensive-minded head coach in former NFL linebacker DeMeco Ryans. The Texans have won the AFC South each of Ryans’ first 2 seasons.
“New Texan Damone Clark has some upside,” The Athletic’s Jordan Pun wrote on his X account. “Projected 2nd round pick who fell to the 5th bc of a spine injury 2023: 17 starts, 109 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 QB hits, 3 PBUs No idea what’s happened in the two years since but he’s got just 4 starts. Demeco>Eberflus. Let’s see what he can do.”
“Damone Clark will remain in Texas — claimed off of waivers by the Houston Texans after being waived by the Cowboys,” Cowboys.com’s Patrik Walker wrote on his official X account. “The former fifth-round pick gets not only a fresh start, but also (gets to play) for DeMeco Ryans.”
Influx of Talent at Inside Linebacker for Cowboys
With the Cowboys’ season almost going in the tank because of their defense, the one spot on the defense that was especially bad was inside linebacker.
All of that changed over the last 2 weeks.
First, the Cowboys made a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals for $36 million veteran linebacker Logan Wilson right before the NFL trade deadline on November 4 — one of 2 big-time trades the Cowboys made that day along with acquiring NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets.
The Cowboys got another starting inside linebacker in the mix with one of last year’s starters, DeMarvion Overshown, coming back from a serious injury 2 weeks ahead of schedule.
Overshown tore his ACL, PCL and MCL in Week 14 of the 2024 regular and returned in Week 11 for the Cowboys and played in a 33-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football.
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