Cowboys DT Neville Gallimore begins practice window, DeMarcus Lawrence could play Thursday

Gallimore started the season on IR; he could be activated any time in the next 21 days. DeMarcus Lawrence could play as early as Thursday. | From @ToddBrock24f7

It’s been a long wait for defensive tackle Neville Gallimore to make his 2021 debut. But the wait is almost over, for both the Canadian-born third-round pick of last year’s draft and the Cowboys fans who have been eager to see if he can build off a solid rookie season and stellar training camp this year.

The Cowboys announced Monday that Gallimore has started his 21-day practice window after starting the season on injured reserve.

Dallas can activate the Oklahoma product at any time, though it would be an usually quick turnaround if he were made eligible to play Thursday night in New Orleans. The team’s Week 14 game, Dec. 12 at Washington, is a more likely target date.

Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence also returned to practice Monday; he could suit up Thursday night, which would be his first game action since Week 1’s loss to Tampa. He broke a bone in his foot in practice prior to Week 2.

Gallimore suffered a dislocated elbow in the Cowboys’ second preseason game versus Arizona in mid-August. At the time, a four-to-six week recovery window was given. The injury resulted in minimal structural damage, with nothing torn.

Dallas put Gallimore on short-term injured reserve to start the season, but it took him significantly longer than the required three weeks to be ready to return.

In nine starts as a rookie last season, Gallimore recorded 26 tackles (four for loss), was credited with one-half of a sack, and logged 12 quarterback pressures across 14 games.

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