Leighton Vander Esch has been hit with the injury bug over the last calendar year. In 2019, he missed seven games due to a neck issue that required offseason surgery. In the Cowboys season opener, Vander Esch suffered a broken collarbone and was placed in injured reserve.
On Wednesday morning, however, head coach Mike McCarthy offered some encouraging news as Vander Esch will begin working his way back to the practice field, although it’s uncertain if he’ll leave the rehab group in the immediate future.
Leighton Vander Esch will start working his way back into practice, but #Cowboys unsure when he'll exit the rehab group — per Mike McCarthy.
Progress.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) October 7, 2020
The Cowboys could certainly use Vander Esch with the current state of their defense. Jaylon Smith, Vander Esch’s partner in crime so to speak, is struggling mightily under Mike Nolan’s hybrid scheme after switching to outside linebacker. In addition to this, the Cowboys are currently ranked 30th in total defense and they’re giving up a league-worst 172.5 yards per game on the ground.
NFL Network’s Jane Slater joined 105.3 The Fan Wednesday morning to provide more information about when Vander Esch will return to field action.
“I just got off the phone with somebody … and I was told that the collarbone is completely healed,” Slater said. “He is going to be working his way back in practice, but I get the sense that we’re still looking at about a three to four-week timeline, if you’re being optimistic. The biggest concern here isn’t the fact that it’s healed it’s when can he physically hit somebody. Because you don’t want to re-break the collarbone.”
That’s very encouraging news considering Vander Esch broke his collarbone a little over three weeks ago. Now, it’s just a matter of him getting back to fieldwork as he prepares to hopefully assist in salvaging the Cowboys 2020 defensive unit.
[vertical-gallery id=655702][lawrence-newsletter]