As Cowboys fans have been expecting all week, the Tank is ready to roll once again on defense. And a fresh face with upside is set to make his NFL debut.
The team has officially activated edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence from injured reserve, meaning he will suit up and play tonight against the Saints. Lawrence logged a combined five tackles and a forced fumble in the season opener versus Tampa Bay, but then suffered a foot fracture during practice prior to Week 2.
Now recovered fully from surgery to repair the break, Lawrence looks to bolster a defense that comes in having allowed more than four yards per rush in six consecutive games.
“Lawrence has had a good week,” team owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan. “My goodness, what a difference a player like that can make. He’ll, of course, have to get his game once he gets back in here. But still, big, big difference.”
Lawrence may be eased back in somewhat gradually after such a long absence, depending on how he’s feeling once he, as Jones worded it, “gets his game.”
Interim #Cowboys HC Dan Quinn told me WR Amari Cooper and DE Demarcus Lawrence will have their playing time managed initially and adjustments to their roles altered based on how they respond physically. Cowboys want to maximize the impact of each even if roles are limited tonight
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) December 2, 2021
While Cowboys Nation will breathe a sigh of relief just to see Lawrence back in the mix, they’ll also get their first look at a newcomer when the special teams unit takes the field.
Safety Tyler Coyle, an undrafted free agent rookie out of Purdue (who played most of his college career at Connecticut before transferring late), has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster as a COVID replacement, with offensive lineman Terence Steele and cornerback Nahshon Wright on the list.
Coyle gained some attention after a monster pro day with eye-popping stats, running the 40-yard dash in an explosive 4.36 seconds and posting a 39-inch vertical. But that vertical number- while impressive- was a personal disappointment to the former track and field star.
“Honestly, I’m still mad I got a 39-inch vertical,” he said at the time.
He’ll take that chip on his shoulder and get an opportunity to make an even bigger leap as a Dallas Cowboy on Thursday night.
He’ll be wearing, appropriately enough… No. 39.
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