The Cowboys have one more offensive line injury to factor into the difficult roster decisions facing them this week.
Third-year tackle Josh Ball suffered a soft tissue injury in his hip and groin area that will sideline him for about two months, per a report from Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. That prognosis comes after an MRI on Sunday, a day after the team’s 31-16 win over Las Vegas in their preseason finale.
Ball sustained what was first described as a hip injury on the Cowboys’ opening possession of Saturday’s contest and left the game later in the first quarter.
Josh Ball is expected to avoid surgery. Still, an extensive absence is ahead for the Cowboys’ 2021 fourth-round pick. Ball is eligible to return this season if included in the initial 53-man roster Tuesday before being placed on injured reserve. https://t.co/R3xxoOy15t
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 27, 2023
Ball is expected to avoid surgery, but that is both good and bad news. On the upside, the Marshall product could be eligible to return to action this season and provide backup for a Dallas line that has traditionally needed to rely heavily on its midseason depth.
But to do that, Ball would need to take up a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster on Tuesday and then subsequently be moved to injured reserve. Placing Ball on IR now would force him to miss the entire 2023 campaign, but it would open up a roster spot for an immediate contributor.
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The 6-foot-8-inch former fourth-round draft pick missed his rookie year with an ankle injury and saw very limited action in 2022.
The Cowboys have already seen linemen Chuma Edoga and Matt Waletzko get dinged this preseason, though Waletzko was able to play Saturday versus the Raiders.
Dallas has 15 linemen currently on the squad. Their initial 53-man roster is due Tuesday.
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