11:22pm: Scandrick did, in fact tear his ACL, which will sideline him for the entire 2015 season, tweets Garafolo. Ed Werder of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that Scandrick also tore his MCL.
It’s a significant loss for the Cowboys’ secondary, which has some question marks at the cornerback position behind Scandrick. The team will now be leaning heavily on Brandon Carr, who hasn’t lived up to his lucrative contract, Morris Claiborne, who missed most of the 2014 season, and Byron Jones, who has yet to play an NFL regular season snap.
7:57pm: Early fears are that Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick tore his ACL during practice today, Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets. If Scandrick has in fact torn his ACL, he would be ruled out for the upcoming season.
Scandrick ranked as the 10th-best cornerback in the NFL in 2014 out of 108 qualified players, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). According to PFF’s data, quarterbacks completed 74.3% of their passes into Scandrick’s coverage, but those completions averaged just 9.9 yards, and the Cowboys’ corner didn’t allow a touchdown in his 14 games. For the year, he recorded 63 tackles and grabbed a pair of interceptions.
The 28-year-old was the Cowboys’ top cornerback in 2014. This offseason, Scandrick demanded a new contract and the Cowboys obliged, giving him an additional year that will pay him big bucks in 2019. For this season, the cornerback is fully guaranteed $4MM.
This injury really shows the importance of players earning cash while they can. Scandrick cashed in on a good season, earning $4MM in guarantees that he wouldn’t have otherwise.