Cowboys Defensive Lineman Suspended 3 Games by NFL to Begin 2026 Season

The Dallas Cowboys will be without a key member of their defense to start the season.

Defensive end Charles Snowden has been suspended for the first three games of the 2026 campaign, though he will be able to participate in preseason activities and games.

Snowden, who went undrafted out of Virginia in 2021, started his career with the Chicago Bears before spending the 2022 campaign on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' practice squad.

He joined the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad in 2023 and made the active roster at the start of the 2024 campaign. Across 31 games in Las Vegas, he had 67 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

The Cowboys signed Snowden to a one-year deal in June.

Snowden was likely looking at a reserve role for Dallas early in the year, but his absence means the Cowboys won't have quite as much depth when they face the New York Giants, Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. He started nine games in each of the last two seasons for the Raiders.

Snowden will look to make his Cowboys debut against the Houston Texans in Week 4.

Snowden's absence will give several Dallas defenders the chance to step up and perhaps prove they're capable of playing valuable snaps this season. Malachi Lawrence, the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2026, will surely look to make the most of the opportunity.

Lawrence, a standout at UCF, recorded 28 tackles and seven sacks in his senior season.

The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, allowing the most points per game (30.1) and the third-most yards per game (377). Dallas spent the offseason upgrading its defense, and the Cowboys will look to give their strong offense some support as they try to get back to the playoffs.