Whoever had the audacity to say things couldn’t get any worse, has no inkling of love for the medical ward that is the Dallas Cowboys 2020 offensive line. Already down both starting tackles and the swing tackle signed in free agency, Dallas has also been playing without the top two centers on their depth chart in March. In Monday’s first quarter, they lost six-time All-Pro Zack Martin to a concussion. The club won’t know until late in the week if he can go.
And now another back up is gone for multiple weeks. This can’t be life. In his Tuesday evening press conference, head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that left tackle Brandon Knight, filling in for Tyron Smith who’s gone for the year, underwent surgery on Tuesday for an undisclosed knee ailment.
Swing tackle Brandon Knight had knee surgery on Tuesday and the #Cowboys are uncertain about the status of Zack Martin (concussion) vs. Washington.
O-line is already without L. Collins, Joe Looney and Tyron Smith.
Tough scene gets tougher.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) October 20, 2020
You can’t make this stuff up.
Knight has been playing for most of the season, notching four starts this year after getting one in his rookie season as a UDFA from 2019. That was in place of right tackle La’el Collins, who has missed every game this year. 2020 UDFA Terence Steele has started all six games with Collins out for his hip surgery. Fourth-round pick Tyler Biadasz is starting for Travis Frederick and Joe Looney. The last remaining starter could be Connor Williams, a much-maligned figure when the rest of the cavalry is available.
Cam Erving, who was signed as the swing tackle in May, should be available to return from IR after being close in Week 6. An ilness kept him from being activated so he should return, but he lost his gig to Steele, who has not been very good so far this year.
Things could actually be much worse for new starting quarterback Andy Dalton in Week 7 against a stout Washington defensive front.
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