“Today is huge for us,” said Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday morning, in advance of the day’s practice session. With Dallas slated to kick off the 2021 season Thursday night, McCarthy and the team are several days ahead of their typical weekly workflow. That made the Labor Day practice a significant one, especially following the news that All-Pro right guard Zack Martin had tested positive for COVID over the weekend and would almost assuredly miss the season opener versus the Buccaneers.
But Monday’s practice- which McCarthy referred to as “our heaviest workload of the whole preparation” for Thursday’s game in Tampa- brought huge news indeed for several Cowboys players who are making their way back to game readiness.
Offensive tackle La’el Collins was a full participant on the day, as were quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback C.J. Goodwin, edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, and safety Donovan Wilson.
Defensive end Chauncey Golston was at first listed as a full participant; the club later released a correction reclassifying the Iowa product as “limited.” Offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe was also limited in the day’s work.
Cowboys have issued a correction. Chauncey Golston was a limited participant, which makes much more sense.
Just a guess on my part, but I think you can count on Golston as a gameday inactive for at least the first few weeks of the season. https://t.co/lR61ENi7yJ
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) September 6, 2021
Collins missed all of last season with hip issues and then was forced out of two separate practices in recent weeks with a neck stinger. His return to form will help an offensive line that will have its hands full Thursday, minus their best player and going against the defending Super Bowl champs, who just activated Ndamukong Suh off their Reserve/COVID list.
Wilson was pulled from practice on August 25th with a groin injury, and will be important to a defensive back rotation aiming to shut down Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Tom Brady’s cast of lethal pass-catchers.
Prescott, of course, is coming off last season’s horrific ankle injury and a muscle strain in his throwing shoulder that kept him out of preseason action entirely and limited for much of camp. It is no understatement to suggest that, as Prescott goes, so go the Cowboys.
Recovery from back surgery caused Lawrence to miss all of the team’s spring work and most of training camp. He was on the PUP list until August 3rd. He, too, was held out of preseason games and is eager to return to live action.
Special teams ace Goodwin missed four weeks with a bad hamstring and returned to practice just last Thursday.
Golston remains a mystery to anyone not inside the Cowboys’ facility. The rookie was selected in the third round of the draft, but started training camp on the PUP list with a hamstring malady.
Nsekhe has been bothered by a foot issue. His availability in Tampa will be important, given the focus on the offensive line and questions about whether the starters will be able to remain healthy.
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