The Dallas Cowboys have finally made the moves many have anticipated, waiting until the proverbial last minute to shuffle their roster ahead of their Week 6 tilt on Monday Night Football.
Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch will play for the first time since leaving Week 1 with a broken collarbone, just in time to help direct a defense charged with stopping the Arizona Cardinals’ dual-threat QB Kyler Murray. Vander Esch returning to the middle could mean more of a spy role for chase-and-pursuit linebacker Jaylon Smith, hopefully giving Dallas a chance to matchup against the dynamic threat.
In a corresponding move, Dallas has sent their own starting quarterback Dak Prescott to injured reserve. His compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle is season ending, and the team will start Andy Dalton for the first time on Monday night. In other moves, Dallas promoted DT Justin Hamilton to replace Trysten Hill (ACL), also lost for the year in Week 5’s win over the New York Giants.
Vander Esch was a Pro Bowler in 2018 as a rookie, but struggled with a neck injury throughout 2019, only suiting up for nine games and missing parts of those. The collarbone break wasn’t related, but it was just five weeks ago, leading many to wonder just how healed the player is.
Dallas’ defense can certainly use him, though, as they are on a record pace to shatter the worst-ever volume stats in several franchise categories.
[vertical-gallery id=656458][lawrence-newsletter]