When they selected him in the fifth round of the most recent draft, the Cowboys put plenty of expectations on the shoulders of 22-year-old Matt Waletzko.
Now there’s a great deal of hope resting on just one of the tackle’s sizable shoulders, the one with the dislocated joint that will require surgery.
But Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports that the 6-foot-8-inch rookie may be able to postpone that operation until the offseason and find his way back to the field during the 2022 schedule.
The paper cites “two people familiar with his progress” with the update.
Waletzko suffered the injury- termed a subluxation- during his senior year at North Dakota, causing him to miss the final game of the season. Still, he was named first-team all-conference and impressed at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.
But the injury resurfaced in just the Cowboys’ second practice, on July 28. He was escorted off the field by trainers and has been out ever since.
Rookie tackle Matt Waletzko with head athletic trainer Jim Maurer walking to the locker room with some issue. pic.twitter.com/RaebrzsDjw
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) July 28, 2022
Reports suggest that rest and rehab work since then has been good for the Minnesota native, and while surgery on the shoulder is a matter of when– not if– for Waletzko, further progress could make him available sometime this season and delay the procedure until afterward.
Assuming Waletzko makes the final 53-man roster on Aug. 30, the team could place him on injured reserve. He would be available to return after four missed games.
The swing tackle position is of significant interest for the Cowboys offensive line, with Tyron Smith already limping this preseason and Terence Steele now officially the permanent starter after the departure of La’el Collins.
Second-year man Josh Ball took over at swing following Waletzko’s injury and saw heavy playing time against Denver in the team’s first preseason game. It was his first game action in 20 months, and it showed.
Waletzko’s availability for the regular season could be the deciding factor in whether the club pursues outside veteran help at the position.
[listicle id=700509]
[listicle id=700505]
[listicle id=700395]
[lawrence-newsletter]