Cowboys' Steven Parker: Plucked from practice squad

The Cowboys signed Parker to the 53-man roster Thursday, Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News reports.

The 24-year-old has been moved up to the active roster for each of the Cowboys' past two games, fielding a combined 32 defensive snaps against the Giants and Cardinals. Parker has reportedly been turning heads in practice, surpassing players who had spent time with Dallas during training camp. He'll be protected from waivers for another week while backing up Xavier Woods at free safety during a matchup against Washington.