UPDATE: Leighton Vander Esch has been ruled out for the rest of the game.
Coming into 2022, linebacker Leighton Vander-Esch’s status in Dallas wasn’t a certainty. Thirteen games into the season, he’s elevated his play as the Cowboys’ leading tackler with 90 total on the season.
During the first quarter in Jacksonville, Vander-Esch suffered a neck injury and is questionable to return. Neck injuries have haunted him throughout his career,
Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch is coming off arguably his best game of year. He has spinal stenosis and underwent a procedure in Jan. 2020 to relieve a nerve issue. Hopefully not serious, but given history, this is a situation that bears monitoring. https://t.co/MqtRQWzCBf
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) December 18, 2022
Vander-Esch was walked to the locker room and his role will be covered by the pair of Anthony Barr and Damone Clark if he’s unable to return. Considering the history of neck injuries, it’s an immediate worry for a Dallas defense already battling through injuries.