Both starting safeties on Thursday injury report for Cowboys

Donovan Wilson is nursing a lingering groin issue while Damontae Kazee injured a thigh; Malik Hooker’s return could be perfectly timed. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Ask any Cowboys fan to name the team’s biggest area of need heading into the 2021 season, and most would say- without much hesitation- safety.

Yep, still an issue.

Donovan Wilson and Damontae Kazee showed up on the team’s official injury report for Thursday, putting a big fat question mark next to both starters at the position just 72 hours before their Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Wilson is dealing with a lingering groin issue. He tweaked it during the season opener against Tampa, and it kept him out of Wednesday’s practice session. Head coach Mike McCarthy said at the time, “We’re just being smart with it.” Thursday marked the second straight day Wilson missed practice due to the problem.

Kazee reportedly got poked in the eye during Wednesday’s work session, but it was a thigh injury that kept him limited on Thursday, as per the team website. Kazee made his regular-season debut as a member of the Cowboys in Week 1 and logged a forced fumble while recording two tackles and one pass defense.

DeMarcus Lawrence was placed on injured reserve after his Thursday morning foot surgery. Rookies Chauncey Golston and Nahshon Wright were listed as full participants.

With the status of both starting safeties up in the air and Darian Thompson on the Practice Squad/Injured list, veteran Malik Hooker could get his first game action of the season against the Chargers.

Hooker was inactive last week after missing most of training camp and coming off an Achilles tear. McCarthy said the veteran, who was signed by the team in July, “looked good” during Wednesday’s practice and is “a lot more comfortable.”

Good thing. He may be thrown into the fire on Sunday with the way players are going down on a suddenly-decimated Dallas defense.

[listicle id=679570]

[listicle id=679622]

[listicle id=679494]

[lawrence-newsletter]