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Minor NFL Transactions: 10/5/24

October 5th, 2024 at 7:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Washington Commanders

Mariota returned to practice on Wednesday, which was the earliest point at which he could be designated for return. As a result, it comes as little surprise he has been brought back onto Washington’s active roster. The 30-year-old is in his first season with the Commanders, and today’s move paves the way for him to handle backup duties moving forward.

Ngakoue remained on the free agent market into the start of the regular season. He was not connected to a Ravens reunion, but one took place last week. The journeyman sack artist had a brief spell with Baltimore in 2020, and he posted three sacks in 11 games. Ngakoue, 29, had one-and done campaigns in Vegas, Indianapolis and Chicago before taking a Ravens practice squad deal. He will make his debut tomorrow and aim to provide depth along the edge.

Cowboys Place WR Brandin Cooks On IR

October 5th, 2024 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Brandin Cooks‘ knee infection will sideline him for at least the next four games. The Cowboys have placed the veteran wide receiver on injured reserve, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Considering the team’s upcoming bye week, Cooks won’t be eligible to return until Week 10.

[RELATED: Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks To Miss Time]

Cooks suffered his knee injury in Week 4, with the wideout opting for injections to avoid a scope. Unfortunately, that injection ended up leading to an infection, which then required its own scope to determine the impact on the player’s meniscus. When we learned of the infection earlier this week, it was speculated that Cooks would miss one to three weeks. Now, the wideout will have five weeks to recover (including the aforementioned bye).

It’s been a rough season for Cooks. The veteran was slowed by knee soreness during training camp, and he’s struggled to put up big numbers through the first month of the season. Following a Week 1 performance where he hauled in four catches for 40 yards and one touchdown, Cooks has been limited to five catches for 51 yards over the past three weeks. As our own Nikhil Mehta noted the other day, Cooks’ 0.67 yards per route run is tied for fifth-lowest among receivers with at least 10 targets in 2024.

With Cooks sidelined, the Cowboys will now be especially reliant on Jalen Tolbert behind WR1 CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are also fortunate to have a capable pass-catching tight end in Jake Ferguson, but the team will otherwise be leaning on the likes of unproven receivers Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, and rookie sixth-round pick Ryan Flournoy.

The Cowboys, of course, have also been mentioned as a potential suitor for Raiders receiver Davante Adams, although Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones was quick to shut down those rumors. Jones’ recent comments came after Cooks’ latest injury, so it’s unlikely today’s move will change the organization’s stance.

Cowboys Will Not Pursue Davante Adams Trade

October 3rd, 2024 at 5:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 3: During an appearance on San Antonio Sports Star, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones confirmed an Adams pursuit will not be taking place (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic). With Lamb on the books and Parsons in need of an extension next offseason, taking on Adams’ deal and agreeing to a restructure would be challenging. Adams’ preference is the Jets anyway, and the Raiders will likely have stronger offers than what Dallas would have been willing to make.

OCTOBER 2: In the hours since the Davante Adams trade rumors began to swirl, the Cowboys emerged as a team that inquired about the standout Raiders wide receiver. While that may well be true, Dallas does not appear a serious player.

The Cowboys are not expected to pursue an Adams trade, with All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill going as far as to indicate the team has shown “no interest” in the 11th-year receiver. This comes after the team shot down interest in acquiring a running back or defensive end via trade.

Dallas received strong value from its 2018 trade with Oakland for Amari Cooper, who helped the ’18 Cowboys edition craft a second-half turnaround to the playoffs and stayed through the 2021 season. The Cowboys bailed on Cooper’s five-year contract, dealing it to the Browns, but have been searching for WR help since. Although CeeDee Lamb has soared onto the All-Pro tier post-Cooper, the Cowboys have not possessed too much depth at the position since that swap.

An Adams trade would reunite him with Mike McCarthy, the Packers’ HC for the first four-plus seasons of the All-Pro’s career. The Packers employed McCarthy as HC when they extended Adams in 2017, though his jump onto the All-Pro level came during Matt LaFleur‘s tenure. Adams played as a third wheel behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to start his career but began to ascend in the late 2010s. McCarthy’s current team is not set to be the destination for Adams’ late prime.

This Adams news comes shortly after Brandin Cooks was ruled out for Week 5; the player the Cowboys eventually settled on to replace Cooper is battling a knee injury stemming from an infection. Cooks has not provided the Cowboys with the level of play he reached at his previous four stops, but he has been sporadically effective. The Cowboys have used 2022 third-rounder Jalen Tolbert more this season as well; the South Alabama alum has played 75% of Dallas’ offensive snaps. With Cooks out for the time being, Tolbert will continue to see regular usage. McCarthy said Wednesday he is comfortable with his in-house options at WR, though the fifth-year Dallas HC cannot exactly say he wants Adams in Dallas due to the NFL’s tampering policy.

It cost the Cowboys a first-round pick to acquire Cooper in 2018; Adams may be moved for a second-rounder (or less) due to his age (32 in December) and contract status. Adams is tied to a prorated $16.9MM base salary. Though, the Raiders can follow some recent teams by picking up some of Adams’ tab to increase trade compensation. Two nonguaranteed years remain on Adams’ extension, though the Cowboys just handed out two top-market deals and have another (Micah Parsons‘) on the horizon. Regardless, it appears the Cowboys will not be part of this conversation.

Jets, Cowboys Inquire On Raiders’ Davante Adams; Bills, Saints, Steelers In Mix

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Early in the Davante Adams market, the obvious trade suitor does look to be readying a pursuit. Linked to the wide receiver since acquiring Aaron Rodgers, the Jets are in on the disgruntled Raiders wide receiver.

They have reached out to the Raiders on Adams, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who adds the Cowboys have done the same in what may be a drawn-out sweepstakes. Adams also would be interested in joining the Jets, as veteran NFL reporter Jordan Schultz indicates they are one of his preferred destinations.

Rodgers has been lobbying the Jets to make the move, per Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline, who indicates teams beyond New York and Dallas are expected to be part of this derby. It is not known how interested other teams are just yet, but Pauline notes the Bills, Saints and Steelers join the Jets in being the most interested parties presently.

Seeking a package worth a second-round pick and change, the Raiders are prepared to wait. While Adams wants out now and has been frustrated about his situation dating back to the Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo signing, the team has more than a month until this year’s trade deadline, which was moved back one week — to November 5 — via an offseason vote. It appears unlikely Adams will suit up before that point.

As the Raiders seek a second-rounder-headlined package, Pauline floats that a first-round choice being put on the table would move the deal across the goal line. Though, Adams is a high-priced player who will turn 32 before season’s end. Still, he probably will be the top wide receiver available ahead of this year’s deadline.

Despite looming as an obvious trade candidate dating back to last season, Adams had repeatedly indicated he did not want to be moved. That has since changed, with the situation escalating. Antonio Pierce liking an Instagram post about a potential Adams trade has apparently catalyzed these proceedings. Adams officially requested a trade Monday, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. Pierce is set to address this situation later today, but Schultz adds Adams’ camp approached the Raiders about a potential trade last season but stopped short of an official request. Adams played out the season, but the Raiders have drifted further away from the championship radar, which Pauline notes is a lead factor in the WR wanting out.

Adams has appeared out of place in Las Vegas, with the team’s decision to jettison Derek Carr one season into the wide receiver’s tenure planting seeds for this relationship’s deterioration. After spending his entire Green Bay career with Rodgers, Adams has seen the Raiders cycle through a few QBs. The Garoppolo fit, as Netflix’s Receiver showed, proved the most problematic. But the Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew stopgaps — as a Pierce-driven effort to trade up for Jayden Daniels did not come close to fruition — leave the 11th-year wideout in limbo. Teams have undoubtedly observed this as well, and this trade request will ignite one of the most interesting trade races in recent memory.

As the Bills, Saints, Steelers and Cowboys loom as well, the obvious issue that would impede a fit with the Chiefs will make such a move a nonstarter. Kansas City is not expected be an option for Vegas re: Adams, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While the Chiefs are suddenly in need of a difference-making receiver after losing Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown, the Raiders being division rivals will not lead to any traction with Adams.

The Saints would appeal to Adams, Schefter adds. This would again reunite Adams with Carr, his longtime friend and former Fresno State teammate. New Orleans is 2-2, thanks to two impressive wins and two narrow losses, and a need for a wideout presence alongside Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed has existed dating back to the offseason. New Orleans only holds $2.8MM in cap space, but GM Mickey Loomis has proven adept at working around such hindrances. Adams also counts Saints wide receivers coach Keith Williams, who has been the receiver’s personal coach in the offseason, as a mentor, Schefter adds.

The Bills are also near the bottom in cap space, at $3.7MM. The Raiders can also pick up some of Adams’ base salary (a prorated $16.9MM) to improve trade compensation. Buffalo has attempted to play four weeks without a No. 1-level wide receiver, though Khalil Shakir has been effective and second-rounder Keon Coleman has shown promise. The Bills were in on DeAndre Hopkins before trading Stefon Diggs in 2023, however, and should be expected to kick the tires on receivers before the deadline. The Steelers memorably missed out on Brandon Aiyuk, despite agreeing to trade parameters with the 49ers. Adams would fit on an offense that features only one eight-figure-per-year contract (Pat Freiermuth‘s recent extension). While the Steelers are not known for splashy WR acquisitions, the Aiyuk pursuit shows they were ready to change that reputation.

Dallas has been lacking in CeeDee Lamb support since trading Amari Cooper, with its long-running Odell Beckham Jr. pursuit in 2022 and subsequent Brandin Cooks trade highlighting interest in augmenting its WR situation. Cooks and Adams were 2014 draft classmates, though the latter has proven to be a higher-tier receiver. He would certainly help a team that, thanks to the Lamb and Dak Prescott extensions, carries $23.8MM in cap space. The Cowboys have not shown interest in acquiring high-profile vets at other positions this season, but they appear willing to consider making an exception for Adams.

Circling back to the Jets, their HC-GM combo being on a hot seat — along with the perception this is currently a Rodgers-centric operation — makes them an obvious suitor. It would surprise if the team did not make an aggressive move here, even after signing Mike Williams in March. Rodgers said this summer he was eager to play with his former No. 1 target again, and the QB has not formed strong chemistry with Garrett Wilson just yet. The Jets carry $16.8MM in cap space.

This quintet each making an offer would strengthen the Raiders’ position, and 2025 draft capital would help the franchise’s 2025 QB pursuit. Adams will become $970K cheaper for a team to acquire as the weeks pass — on a contract featuring two high nonguaranteed 2025 and ’26 salaries ($35.6MM, $36.6MM) — and this may well be the top trade sweepstakes to monitor over the next month.

Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks To Miss Time

October 2nd, 2024 at 4:53pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

4:53pm: Providing further details on the matter, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports Cooks underwent injections in his knee to avoid a scope being necessary. That is when the infection occurred, and the Cowboys’ team doctor later performed a scope to address the infection and its effect on Cooks’ meniscus. He should be out of the lineup for roughly one to three weeks, Slater adds.

11:11am: The Cowboys’ injury luck continues to worsen, as veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks will be sidelined for Week 5 and potentially longer after an infection developed in his right knee, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Cooks injured his knee against the Giants on Thursday and remained in New York for a medical procedure that resulted in the infection, which threatens his status for the Cowboys’ upcoming slate of games. Head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Cooks’ absence for Week 5 on Wednesday, according to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.

Dallas is already contending with injuries to Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence on the defensive side of the ball, with Cooks’ infection now thinning out their receiving corps behind CeeDee Lamb.

Cooks dealt with knee soreness during training camp, though it is unclear if his current injury and infection is related. The veteran wide receiver has struggled to begin the season, catching just nine of his 19 targets for 91 yards and one touchdown. His 0.67 yards per route run is tied for fifth-lowest among receivers with at least 10 targets in 2024, per Pro Football Focus.

Dallas has virtually no proven depth behind their top three of Lamb, Cooks and Jalen Tolbert, with KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Brooks combining for just eight receptions this season. Rookie Ryan Flournoy was a healthy scratch in Weeks 1-4, though that is likely to change with Cooks sidelined.

Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will need to make adjustments to his passing game in Cooks’ absence. Dallas has used three-receiver sets on more than 75% of their offensive plays this season, per SumerSports. Schottenheimer could rely more on tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker moving forward, which could aid a rushing attack that has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry this season, the second-lowest in the NFL.

The Cowboys could look to an external WR addition if Cooks’ infection results in a long-term absence, but initial reports indicate that they are not expected to pursue Davante Adams as his trade market heats up.

Cowboys To Sign DE K.J. Henry Off Bengals’ Practice Squad, Place DeMarcus Lawrence On IR

October 1st, 2024 at 10:47am CST by Sam Robinson

10:47am: Lawrence moving to IR will be the Cowboys’ corresponding move, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer tweets. The longtime Dallas starter had been set to head to IR due to the Lisfranc injury he sustained against the Giants. This will clear a roster spot, as Lawrence begins a lengthy rehab effort.

10:07am: The Cowboys will begin handling their defensive end crisis with a practice squad poaching. Jerry Jones indicated Tuesday morning this would be an option, and Dallas is turning to Cincinnati’s P-squad for help following the losses of DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.

Defensive end K.J. Henry is heading to the Cowboys off the Bengals’ practice squad, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. A 2023 fifth-round Commanders draftee, Henry did not make Dan Quinn‘s first Washington roster last month and ventured to Cincinnati. The Cowboys are only obligated to keep Henry on their 53-man roster for three weeks, but Fowler adds they are keeping their options open with a two-year contract.

Not expected to pursue a trade to fill the voids created by Lawrence and Parsons’ injuries, the Cowboys will add a piece who is now signed through 2025. Henry’s rookie contract was to run through 2026, but the Commanders and Bengals have each cut him this year. Cincinnati initially claimed Henry off waivers but cut him earlier this month. Henry, a Clemson alum, had stayed with the Bengals via a practice squad deal after clearing waivers.

While Henry never topped five sacks in a season at Clemson, he notched nine tackles for loss in 2022 and combined for 14 from 2020-21. He played sparingly for the Tigers’ 2018 national championship-winning squad. Henry’s final Clemson season brought second-team All-ACC acclaim, with Pro Football Focus tabbing him a third-team All-American.

Henry was among a wave of 2023 draft choices deemed unworthy of Quinn’s first Commanders roster, with third-round center Ricky Stromberg also among the cut contingent. Washington, which added two Quinn ex-Dallas D-end charges Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler, had deployed Henry as a three-game starter last season. The team’s trades of Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the deadline freed up spots for the struggling team, and Henry notched 1.5 sacks in a rematch against the Giants. Henry, 25, has played in two Bengals games this season.

The Cowboys are expected to place Lawrence on IR, as a Lisfranc injury is set to sideline the 11th-year edge rusher for up to two months. Parsons is week-to-week with a high ankle sprain. Both players were moving around the team facility on scooters Monday, and the Cowboys are not expected to have Parsons in uniform against the Steelers. Henry joins second-round rookie Marshawn Kneeland, former third-rounder Chauncey Golston and second-year player Tyrus Wheat as healthy DEs on Dallas’ 53-man roster. Carl Lawson is still on the team’s practice squad but is on track to be in uniform Sunday.

Cowboys Not Eyeing DE Trades

October 1st, 2024 at 9:53am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys’ top three defensive ends are out of the picture for the team’s Week 5 matchup against the Steelers. Weeks after Sam Williams was lost for the season, Dallas sustained two more significant setbacks with both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence going down against the Giants.

While Parsons’ high ankle sprain is less severe than Lawrence’s injury — a Lisfranc ailment — Mike McCarthy said the Cowboys are preparing to sit their All-Pro edge defender in Week 5. Facing a four- to eight-week timetable, Lawrence is expected to land on IR this week. Suddenly, second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland is thrust into the role of Dallas’ top D-end.

Jerry and Stephen Jones are planning to manage this situation with internal solutions or lower-level moves from outside the organization. A notable trade to bolster this reeling position should not be expected. Stephen Jones sounded a bit more open than his father in terms of an outside acquisition, but neither Cowboys bigwig appears overly interested in a significant outside addition.

“I don’t know this time of year that anyone is willing to trade their best players; it’s just a work in progress,” Stephen Jones said during a 105.3 The Fan appearance (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “We’ll keep our lines of communication open around the league. If something presents itself then we’ll certainly look at it.”

When asked about this situation Tuesday, Jerry Jones said during a 105.3 The Fan interview (h/t All City DLLS’ Clarence Hill) no trade should be expected. The longtime Dallas owner indicated a practice squad poaching will likely be in play, but no big move should be anticipated. Adding a defensive end off another team’s P-squad would make sense, timeline-wise, since any player involved in such a transaction must spend three weeks on the poaching team’s 53-man roster. The Cowboys are going week-to-week with Parsons, who does not appear an IR candidate.

Lawrence leads the Cowboys with three sacks, benefiting from attention paid to Parsons, who exited Week 4 with one. Only one other Cowboys DE (fourth-year player Chauncey Golston) has recorded a sack; the former third-round pick has tallied one thus far.

Both the Dallas DE starters’ injuries being worse than the team expected is a tough blow given Williams’ earlier setback and the free agency defections of Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler (both to the Commanders, following Dan Quinn). Beyond Kneeland, the Cowboys have Golston and second-year UDFA Tyrus Wheat on their roster. The team is planning to elevate Carl Lawson from its practice squad for the Pittsburgh matchup. Any Lawson moves beyond Week 5 would require him to be signed to the active roster, as the team will have used its three-elevation limit with the veteran D-end. Lawson joined the team in the wake of Williams’ ACL tear.

This low-key approach reminds of the Cowboys’ running back situation, which has featured the team resisting outside calls to add a flashier option. The Cowboys stood pat in the backfield this offseason, beyond an Ezekiel Elliott reunion that is not producing much of consequence, and the 2-2 team is largely set to follow suit at D-end. The Cowboys face the Lions in Week 6 before a much-needed bye week.

Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence Dealing With Lisfranc Injury; IR Stint On Tap

September 30th, 2024 at 2:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 30: The Cowboys are indeed planning to place Lawrence on IR, the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore tweets, adding workouts — in a situation similar to how the Cowboys tried to replace Williams this summer — are likely on tap.

Both Lawrence and Parsons were in walking boots moving around the team’s facility on scooters Monday, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. Parsons is not expected to play in Week 5 (against the Steelers), but the All-Pro edge rusher is holding out hope for a return in Week 6 (against the Lions). Dallas’ bye, however, is in Week 7.

SEPTEMBER 29: Both DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons exited the Cowboys’ Week 4 win, and their respective injuries threaten to leave Dallas shorthanded along the edge for a notable period. Parsons’ exact recovery timeline is unclear at this point, but Lawrence should not be expected back on the field in the near future.

Lawrence is dealing with a Lisfranc injury, ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. He adds the affected bones were not displaced when the 32-year-old went down, and as a result surgery will not be required. While that is a positive development, Archer still notes a four-to-eight week recovery is in store. As a result, Lawrence is a strong injured reserve candidate.

IR would guarantee at least a four-week absence, but if his prognosis is confirmed it would come as no surprise if the Cowboys took that route with Lawrence. The four-time Pro Bowler leads the team with three sacks this season, so his absence would be felt with or without Parsons in the fold. The fact the latter is also in line to miss time compounds the Cowboys’ situation in the edge rush department. Sam Williams is out for the year, so Chauncey Golston and Marshawn Kneeland will be counted on to handle large workloads moving forward.

The free agent market is thin at the moment with respect to veteran edge rushers, and Haason Reddick represents a hypothetical trade target as his Jets holdout continues. Dallas is not interested in a Reddick pursuit, however, so the team’s in-house options will entrusted to fill in for Lawrence and Parsons over the interim. The Cowboys rebounded on defense in their Thursday night win against the Giants, but the unit will still face questions moving forward given its injury situation.

Lawrence has remained a full-time starter over the past several years, and 2021 was the last time he was sidelined for an extended period. The Boise State product is a pending free agent, making him one of the players whose futures will be determined by how the Cowboys handle a Parsons extension next offseason. Lawrence – who has spent his entire 11-year career in Dallas – will see his market value take a hit with a lengthy absence, but he should be able to return later in the season.

Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence Injuries Worse Than Expected; Team Not Considering Haason Reddick Trade

September 29th, 2024 at 10:02am CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys’ second win of the season came with some losses at its heels. Injuries to edge rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence dampened an otherwise victorious Thursday night over the division-rival Giants. While the worst-case scenario was certainly avoided, both situations appear to be worse than initially expected, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.

Parsons fell victim to a high ankle sprain. After exiting the Thursday night matchup in the fourth quarter, Parsons saw negative x-rays immediately after the game. An MRI revealed the sprain, and though there was initially hope that Parsons would be able to take advantage of a 10-day break until their next game and return, the star defender will be out for two to four weeks. With Parsons being such a key player on the defense, it stands to reason that Dallas would slow-play his return, erring on the side of caution and waiting until after their Week 7 bye to bring him back.

Lawrence’s injury seemed immediately worse than Parsons’, a sentiment later confirmed by head coach Mike McCarthy. An MRI today unveiled a mid-foot sprain in Lawrence’s right foot, but the prognosis wasn’t disclosed until a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, pinning Lawrence’s recovery timeline at four weeks, at least.

According to Watkins, McCarthy made it known that both players would be seeking second opinions on their situations. If both situations hold true to their current form, though, Lawrence becomes a sure candidate for injured reserve. With plans to reevaluate Lawrence in four weeks, it makes perfect sense to place him on IR and fill his roster spot with someone who can play now.

With Sam Williams and Durrell Johnson already on IR and Tyrus Wheat dealing with injury, the Cowboys’ depth on the defensive edge is sure to be tested in the coming weeks. Adding Parsons and Lawrence to the list of unavailable players leaves only two healthy defensive ends on the roster: Chauncey Golston and Marshawn Kneeland.

A second-round rookie out of Western Michigan, Kneeland will receive a baptism by fire. He’s served mostly as a rotational rusher in the first few games of the season but will likely be tested much more moving forward. Golston is in a contract year with the Cowboys after being drafted in the third round out of Iowa in 2021. He’s also been mostly a rotational pass rusher throughout his three years with the team, logging three starts and 4.5 sacks in that time.

With a lack of bodies on the edge, the Cowboys will likely continue to look for new players to add to the defense, something the team has been doing since Williams went down in July. They hosted free agent pass rushers Carl Lawson, Shaka Toney, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Justin Hollins before the season, eventually signing Lawson to the practice squad. They may call up some familiar names in their time of need, although at least one high-profile external option is not currently on the table. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the club is not presently considering a trade for embattled Jets pass rusher Haason Reddick due to the prohibitive cost — presumably in terms of both dollars and draft capital — to acquire him.

Cowboys’ Micah Parsons Suffers High Ankle Sprain; DeMarcus Lawrence Facing Multi-Week Absence

September 27th, 2024 at 3:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

3:25pm: Parsons is facing a recovery timeline of two to four weeks, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports. It would thus come as a signficant surprise if he managed to suit up against the Steelers in Week 5. Lawrence, meanwhile, is dealing with a right mid-foot sprain, per Archer. The full severity of his injury is not yet known, but he will likely not be back before the Cowboys’ Week 7 bye.

1:13pm: The Cowboys earned an important win on Thursday night, but the team did suffer multiple injury scares on defense. Edge rusher Micah Parsons is dealing with a high ankle sprain, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

The two-time All-Pro exited Dallas’ win over the Giants late in the fourth quarter. X-rays taken after the contest came back negative, he said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). An MRI was taken on Friday, though, and it has confirmed a sprain. Rapoport adds Parsons’ status is uncertain at this point.

The worst-case scenario has certainly be avoided in this instance, but the possibility still remains for Parsons to miss time. Dallas has a 10-day break between games by virtue of playing on Thursday, which could prove to be highly beneficial. The 25-year-old indicated he intends to play in Week 5, but his progress in recovery over the coming days will of course dictate if that is possible.

The news is not as encouraging in the case of fellow edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. The four-time Pro Bowler exited last night’s contest with a foot injury and did not return. Lawrence also underwent an MRI on Friday, and Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero reports a multi-week absence should be expected. As a result, at least one of Dallas’ top two pass rushers will likely be sidelined until after the team’s Week 7 bye.

The Cowboys have totaled eight sacks this season; Lawrence and Parsons account for five of those. Especially with Sam Williams out for the year, depth along the edge will be a question mark with one (or potentially both) set to miss time. Dallas sits at 2-2 on the year, and a repeat of performances from the team’s defense last night will be needed for momentum to build through the remainder of the campaign. That will be challenging if the unit is shorthanded for a signficant period.

Parsons remains attached to his rookie contract, but negotiations on a monster extension will take place during the offseason. Lawrence, meanwhile, is one of Dallas’ top pending free agents this spring, and his market could take a hit if he misses notable time. As the Cowboys consider their options for a midseason rental addition, edge rush could become a position to watch.

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