Tag: foot injury

Cowboys OL Tyler Smith suffers plantar fascia tear, may still play in postseason

From @ToddBrock24f7: The second-year lineman completely tore his plantar fascia, but that may actually be preferable to a partial tear in terms of recovery.

The Cowboys offensive line was dealt a blow on Saturday when second-year man Tyler Smith left the game late in the third quarter. He appeared to have suffered a foot injury of some sort, and after some time in the sideline medical tent, Smith was seen warming up as if he might go back in.

The left guard did not return, though, and T.J. Bass replaced him for the remainder of the Cowboys’ 20-19 win.

Now word comes early Sunday from NFL insider Ian Rapoport that Smith completely tore the plantar fascia of his left foot. And although it sounds excruciating, the lineman’s prognosis moving forward may not be all that dire.

Smith reportedly said after the game that he felt he could have played on. He’s scheduled to get further testing on Sunday to determine what the tear means for his availability.

There is a chance that the 22-year-old won’t miss significant time, and he reportedly could even play through the injury starting with next weekend’s regular-season finale versus Washington.

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Smith missed Weeks 1 and 2 with a hamstring injury. Fellow linemen Tyron Smith and Zack Martin have also dealt with injures this season.

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Cowboys LB Malik Jefferson awaiting MRI results after foot injury

From @ToddBrock24f7: The former 3rd-round draft pick was having a good game before being injured Saturday. MRI results could impact his bid for a roster spot.

Malik Jefferson’s bid to establish himself in a talented Cowboys linebacker room may have taken a hit in Saturday’s preseason opener versus Jacksonville.

The 26-year-old suffered a foot injury in the third quarter of Dallas’s 28-23 loss to the Jaguars at AT&T Stadium. After staying on the turf momentarily, he was able to jog back to the sideline, but he was ruled out of the rest of the contest shortly thereafter. The injury was later deemed to be to his plantar fascia; he was seen walking around with no assistance in the locker room after the game.

Jefferson was, however, scheduled for an MRI on Sunday, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. The results of that test will likely play a major factor in what the rest of the Texas product’s preseason will look like.

A third-round draft pick of the Bengals back in 2018, Jefferson has bounced around a lot since then. After stints with the Browns, Chargers (twice), Titans, and Colts, the Cowboys signed him last July. He spent 2022 on the practice squad and was inked to a reserve/futures contract this past February.

He played well on Saturday leading up to the injury, logging two solo tackles and assisting on two more. He also nearly made an acrobatic play on an incomplete pass in the second quarter.

PFF’s John Owning revealed that Jefferson was among the five highest-graded players for the Cowboys defense on the night.

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Even at full strength, the former Longhorn could have an uphill battle for a roster spot. Along with starting locks Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch, Damone Clark figures to be a breakout star this season, and fellow Texas alum DeMarvion Overshown made a strong first impression in his rookie debut. Devin Harper, Jabril Cox, and rookie UDFA Isaiah Land are also in the mix at the position.

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Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence dealing with multiple injuries, misses practice again

DeMarcus Lawrence says he’s dealing with a knee issue and two bad feet, one of which may be linked to last year’s fracture. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Twenty-four hours after Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence made a surprise appearance on the Wednesday injury report with an apparent foot issue, there seems to be a difference of opinion on how concerning the situation actually is.

It all depends on who’s answering the question.

When Mike McCarthy was asked about Lawrence’s foot on Thursday, the head coach didn’t sound particularly worried about the ninth-year edge rusher.

“It was an injury in the game [Sunday], but we’ve always taken care of DeMarcus on Wednesdays,” McCarthy told reporters at the top of his Thursday morning press conference. “Just being smart with him. The intent is for him to play on Sunday.”

Lawrence ranks second on the team in sacks and has played 62% of the defensive unit’s snaps this season. While his absence would be a significant blow with games against two top NFC squads coming within the next week, McCarthy chalked up the injury report add as a veteran’s rest day and said Lawrence would take it easy again in Thursday’s padded practice.

“He’ll be limited again today.”

For the next eleven minutes the coach was at the podium, Lawrence’s name wasn’t brought up again.

Shortly after, he was seen working with Cowboys director of rehabilitation Britt Brown prior to the team portion of practice.

But Lawrence himself painted a different picture when asked about his foot later in the day.

The two-time All-Pro also said he expects to play in Week 11, but he also admitted that he’s working through injuries on both feet, and more than just normal midseason dings.

“Right knee hurts worse than the feet,” he said, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “I’m dealing with so much right now. Just trying to stay focused on the task at hand.”

Lawrence, 30, said that the left foot injury sustained in Green Bay could even be related to the fracture he suffered to the same foot last September. That injury required surgery and sidelined him for 10 games.

Ed Werder of ESPN tweeted that “Lawrence didn’t completely dismiss” the possibility that he suffered a repeat fracture.

But the former second-round pick says he’ll soldier on.

“It’s all about trying to maintain what I have but also taking care of me throughout the week so I can be fresh [on Sunday],” he said, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Contradicting what Coach McCarthy had anticipated, Lawrence showed up on Thursday’s practice report as a non-participant.

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Seahawks place linebacker Darryl Johnson on injured reserve

The Seattle Seahawks announced one roster move Friday, linebacker Darryl Johnson has been placed on the injured reserve with a foot injury.

The Seattle Seahawks announced one roster move on Friday afternoon before heading off to New Orleans to face the Saints, linebacker Darryl Johnson has been placed on the injured reserve.

Johnson left the Seahawks’ Week-4 matchup in Detroit with a foot injury that coach Pete Carroll had worried was somewhat significant. The hope is Johnson can return to the lineup at some point this season, but he’ll have to miss the mandatory four games before he can be activated back to the 53-man roster.

Seattle originally claimed Johnson off waivers via the Panthers ahead of the season and he was able to play himself into a starting role against the Lions.

No corresponding roster move was announced, leaving an open spot on the Seahawks’ 53-man squad.

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Seahawks LB Darryl Johnson suffered ‘significant’ foot injury in Detroit

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Darryl Johnson suffered a “somewhat significant” foot injury in Detroit Week 4 and could be out for some time.

The Seattle Seahawks were fortunate in the injury department Sunday in Detroit, with only one player leaving the matchup unable to return – linebacker Darryl Johnson.

“Yeah, he hurt his foot and he has an injury that is going to take a while,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters during his Monday press conference. “I don’t know specifically. I do think it’s a stress fracture kind of thing that he is dealing with. That’s somewhat of a significant injury.”

The Seahawks claimed Johnson off waivers last month with Shelby Harris out and he earned himself a starting nod against the Lions.

“Unfortunately, I was really fired up about him in part of our plans,” Carroll continued. “He’s big, strong, versatile, active, smart. You know really one of our guys, so I’m really disappointed that he got banged up.

“He was the one guy that really got hurt in this game.”

Carroll is hopeful Johnson will be able to return at some point this season.

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‘Foot issue’ holds Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb out of Wednesday practice with Chargers

The third-year receiver was seen in sweatpants as practice got underway, but Cowboys coaches say ‘”injury” is too strong a term. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was a surprise non-participant in Wednesday’s joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers, but the team says it’s not cause for alarm.

The third-year wideout was seen in sweatpants as things got underway in Costa Mesa for the first of back-to-back days of scrimmages between the two teams.

It was reported by media members in attendance that Lamb had a foot injury of some sort, but word quickly spread that perhaps that may have been an overstatement.

“Foot issue is not considered serious for Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb,” Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News tweeted. “Not structural, person familiar with issue said. The term ‘injury’ may even be too strong. No long-term concern.”

Later reports hinted that Lamb suffered a small cut on his toe that required a stitch.

 

Head coach Mike McCarthy previously announced that he would use Wednesday and Thursday’s practice sessions for Cowboys starters, leaving Saturday’s preseason tilt against the Chargers for backups and rookies whenever possible.

Lamb has had the occasional “rest day” already this offseason as coaches manage his workload heading into his first campaign as the offense’s undisputed WR1.

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Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf still rehabbing after surgery

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf is still rehabbing after undergoing foot surgery to correct issues from a previous procedure.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf is on the mend after undergoing foot surgery to clean up some issues that surfaced from an earlier procedure.

“He’s still rehabbing from surgery but, he’s involved with everything we’re doing,” coach Pete Carroll said Thursday. “He’s really tuned in and really happy to see the way he’s returned to us with a lot of stuff in the future coming up.

Carroll also addressed the elephant in the room – whether or not the two sides had discussed a contract extension as of yet.

“He seems is to be very focused on what’s going on right now and being in position to help other guys as we get started,” Carroll said. “He’s shown a really good mentality about the return. As far as conversations and all that kind of stuff about the future of it, we haven’t really been directly on the topic at this point.”

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McCarthy: Cowboys RB Tony Pollard to be limited but back at practice Wednesday

After missing just the second game of his career, Tony Pollard is working his way back and could be ready to face the porous Giants defense. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Cowboys running back Tony Pollard is expected to be back at practice on Wednesday after missing Week 14’s outing with a plantar fascia injury. That is not necessarily an indication that he will be available to play in Sunday’s divisional matchup versus the Giants, but it is certainly a step in the right direction for a Dallas run game- and offense- that’s been as flat as the Texas plains in recent weeks.

Head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters at his midweek press conference that the third-year back out of Memphis would be “limited,” but was also quick to point out that the entire practice session would be lighter than usual in an attempt to keep players fresh as the season wears on.

“More of a walkthrough-type practice,” McCarthy explained Wednesday.

Pollard tore the ligament in his left foot on Dec. 2 on a 58-yard touchdown sprint against the Saints and was listed as a gametime decision last week, being scratched shortly before kickoff. That was fairly new territory for Pollard, who had previously been inactive just once on gameday, in December of his rookie season.

Ezekiel Elliott, who has been playing through a knee injury for over two months, ended up finishing Sunday’s win over Washington with 12 carries for 45 yards.

“I thought Zeke came out of the game good,” McCarthy said by way of an update on the two-time rushing champ. “His communication has been [that] he’s ready to go. If we were having a full-blown Wednesday practice, I would say he’d be in a full capacity.”

Backup Corey Clement also got some work out of the Cowboys backfield, logging 13 rushing attempts and gaining 44 yards. Even wideout CeeDee Lamb and practice squad call-up JaQuan Hardy were given carries as the team compiled 122 ground yards against Washington.

“It was definitely a big improvement from New Orleans, clearly. We had a good day against the Giants last time we played them, so obviously, that’ll be a bigger challenge this week. Obviously, that’s going to be a focal point for them. We’ve just got to stay the course.”

The Cowboys will look to exploit a Giants defense that’s giving up an average of 125 yards per game on the ground, eighth-worst in the league this season.

Dallas hung 201 rushing yards on their New York rivals back in a Week 5 win. In that game, Elliott amassed 110 on the ground and scored a touchdown. It was his second 100-yard outing of the season; it remains the last time he’s hit that mark. Pollard added another 75 yards that day on 14 carries.

Cowboys fans would love to see both get back on the horse and run roughshod over Big Blue this coming Sunday.

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Foot surgery complete, here’s what Cowboys’ DeMarcus Lawrence likely is dealing with and what game he should be back by

A look at Lawrence’s specific injury, what the real timeframe is and who is around to fill in for him. | From @StarConscience

The Dallas Cowboys have had a rough start to the 2021 season, and it’s only been one week. La’el Collins is currently suspended for five games, Randy Gregory is under COVID protocol, Michael Gallup is out for 3-5 weeks with a calf strain, and Donovan Wilson is dealing with a nagging groin issue that could force him to miss time.

That’s potentially four starters lost from a team looking to bounce back from a 6-10 campaign in 2020. However, on Wednesday, the Cowboys suffered another huge loss when DeMarcus Lawrence, the team’s best pass rusher and run defender, broke a bone in his foot. Head coach Mike McCarthy noted on Thursday that Lawrence has already had successful surgery to fix the issue and will be out for 6-8 weeks.

Cowboys Wire’s Rafael Vela has secured the following external opinion as to where the damage is and how the timeline for his return likely is constructed.

The fifth metatarsal is a bone in the fleshy part of the foot, not on an extended toe. Sometimes a fracture is a simple crack but as this required surgery it’s likely a displaced injury to the bone, meaning it may have splintered or twisted or been physically displaced.

Surgery may have inserted a pin or a plate to stabilize the bone and this will aid in and greatly increase the odds of full healing.

It will take six weeks for the bone to heal completely. Then add conditioning time and that may add an additional 1-2 more weeks to the time table. If he’s working hard in a pool and doing other things to maintain cardiovascular shape, 6 weeks ison the optimistic end of the window, but more than likely at least 8 weeks will be necessary before he returns to the field.

That timeline would have Lawrence returning in time for the club’s November 14 home game against the Atlanta Falcons, one week prior to taking on the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.

With the Cowboys hitting the road this week to face the Los Angeles Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert, who is one of the league’s more mobile passers, the loss of Lawrence is brutal, especially if Gregory can’t get two negative COVID tests before Sunday. To counter this blow the Cowboys will need help from a plethora of players.

Dorance Armstrong will start at left defensive end with Lawrence out. This opportunity couldn’t have come at a better time for him as he is playing for his first lucrative payday. He’s shown gradual improvement each season since he was taken in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft. Armstrong will be looking to build off of a great showing in training camp and the preseason.

Veteran Tarell Basham will see an increased role which will likely lead to him starting on Sunday against the Chargers if Gregory can’t go. Bradlee Anae, the Cowboy’s fifth-round pick in 2020, will also see more playing time after just six defensive snaps as a rookie.

Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons is a key player to watch during Lawrence’s absence also. With his experience as a defensive end during his high school days, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn used Parsons to rush the passer during training camp. Also, the former Nittany Lion got guidance from Lawrence and future Hall of Fame pass rusher DeMarcus Ware on how to be more effective getting to the quarterback. With Lawrence off the field, look for Parsons pass rush responsibilities to increase.

There’s another rookie who will need to show his worth with Lawrence out. Chauncey Golston, who the Cowboys took in the third round in April, dealt with a hamstring issue that occurred during the first day of training camp in Oxnard and kept him on the PUP list until he passed a physical in late August. With his ability to rush from the edge and the interior, the Cowboys will need Golston to step up and build off of the momentum he created in OTAs and minicamp.

Lawrence won’t be easily replaced and the Cowboys will need all of the aforementioned players to keep their pass rush afloat until his return.

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Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap planning to play in Washington

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Carlos Dunlap is planning to play in Washington in Week 15 despite his lingering foot injury.

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The Seattle Seahawks were without defensive end Carlos Dunlap Week 14 against the New York Jets but things could be different this Sunday in Washington.

Despite his lingering foot injury, coach Pete Carroll said Dunlap is planning on playing this week.

“I’ll know way more Wednesday, but he is planning to play, that’s his thought that he’s going to be able make it back,” Carroll told reporters during his Monday press conference. “We’ve got to get through the week and find out how he handles it, but his intention is to get back to play.”

Dunlap was inactive against the Jets in an attempt to “slow down” his foot injury. Perhaps after a light practice week, he’ll be a go on Sunday against the Washington Football Team.

The Seahawks return to practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on Wednesday.

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