The Dallas Cowboys brought back a familiar face on Thursday, signing defensive lineman Carlos Watkins to the 53-man roster. Where did they get Watkins? Dallas signed Watkins away from the Washington Commanders, where he was a member of their practice squad.
Watkins, a 30-year-old veteran of eight NFL seasons, spent two years with the Cowboys (2021-22) when current Washington head coach Dan Quinn was the Dallas defensive coordinator.
A former All-American at Clemson, Watkins initially signed with the Commanders’ practice squad on Aug. 28. Washington elevated Watkins to the 53-man roster for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants, but he reverted back to the practice squad after the game.
Watkins played three snaps in the Commanders’ win over the Giants.
Watkins has appeared in 72 career games with 20 starts. He has recorded 139 tackles, including 17 for loss and six sacks. In addition to Dallas and Washington, Watkins has played for the Houston Texans (a 2017 fourth-round pick), Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.
To replace Watkins’ spot on the practice squad, the Commanders brought back defensive end Justin Hollins. The 28-year-old Hollins has played with the Broncos, Rams, Packers, Giants, and Chargers. He initially signed with Washington on Aug. 19 but was released during final cuts.
Hollins has appeared in 67 games.