The Dallas Cowboys will enter their Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Rams with one familiar face still on a milk carton while another returns after a two game absence. The official inactive lists have been released by the teams.
Cowboys inactives: Devin Smith, Deante Burton, Leighton Vander Esch, Joe Jackson, Mitch Hyatt, Brandon Knight, Trysten Hill.
Sean Lee is active.
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) December 15, 2019
Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch was ruled out earlier in the week with the mysterious neck injury. Considering he hasn’t played since Week 11, it’s possible that the Dallas training staff is being conservative with their 2018 first-round draft pick and will hold him out for the remainder of the season.
Fellow linebacker Sean Lee will be good to go despite dealing with both thigh and pectoral injuries, but expect both Joe Thomas and possibly even Luke Gifford, who’s yet to log a snap defensively to get some playing time if Lee is unable to finish the contest.
The oft-maligned safety Jeff Heath returns to action for the first time since the Week 12 loss to the New England Patriots as he dealt with injuries to both shoulders. However Cowboys Nation feels about Heath, it’s clear that he’s been missed on the back end regardless of his deficiencies. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett will play through a foot injury that had him questionable throughout the week.
Rookie defensive tackle Trysten Hill, despite coming off perhaps his best game of the season will be inactive for the eighth time.
#LARams Inactives vs. Cowboys:
CB Dont’e Deayon
DB David Long Jr.
S Jake Gervase
OL Jamil Demby
T Rob Havenstein
TE Gerald Everett
TE Kendall Blanton— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) December 15, 2019
For the Rams, tight end Gerald Everett will be missing in action, though his job has been usurped by Tyler Higbee who has exploded for 14 catches, 223 yards and a touchdown in the last two weeks combined. They will also be without offensive tackle Rob Havenstein who has been sidelined with a knee injury since Week 10. He will be replaced again by rookie Bobby Evans.