Cowboys send backup tackle Nathan Thomas to Texans in intra-state move

The Cowboys are reportedly sending offensive tackle Nathan Thomas to the Texans in an intra-Texas transaction as the league moves toward final roster decisions. The report comes just a day after Dallas acquired tackle Broderick Jones from the Steelers, a move that further reshaped the Cowboys’ swing-tackle and competition picture on the offensive line.

According to ’s Ian Rapoport as cited by Pro Football Rumors, Houston will receive Thomas, who previously spent time in Dallas’ tackle rotation. The framing of the deal suggests Dallas viewed Thomas as part of a deeper but ultimately movable group of options ahead of the regular-season cutdown process.

Thomas’ path in Dallas included competing for the left tackle job alongside Tyler Guyton. That competition matters because left tackle is often the anchor position on an NFL line, and Dallas’ recent activity implies it is trying to identify the most secure blend of starters and reliable depth to withstand injuries and in-game tactical changes.

The backdrop is that Dallas’ offensive line room has been in flux, with the addition of Jones creating additional competition at tackle. Jones’ arrival also changes the priority for depth: when a team brings in a new tackle from another club, it typically forces hard decisions about which backups fit best for the remaining roster spots.

For Houston, acquiring Thomas is a depth-forward move. Even when the move is not positioned as a clear-cut starter upgrade, the Texans can use a tackle with experience in multiple looks to protect continuity if their projected starters need rest, miss time, or if the coaching staff wants more flexibility during the preseason and into the regular season.

It is worth noting that the report is still in the rumor-and-reporting category, not a long-form transaction release from the teams themselves within the provided material. As with most roster deadline trades, additional details such as the exact terms and how each club plans to use the player can become clearer only once official confirmations and corresponding roster moves are posted by the teams.

What to watch next is how Dallas’ tackle depth chart sets itself following the Jones acquisition and the Thomas departure, and whether Houston’s offensive line plan for the tackle spots shifts in response. Depth transactions like this often reveal a team’s internal ranking, even when a player is not projected to start on Day 1.