The Dallas Cowboys were soundly beaten by the rival San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, and they could be dealing with an even worse injury situation than the eventual 42-10 loss.
Reports emerged Monday morning that wide receiver/All-Pro Kavonta Turpin suffered a sprained ankle during the game. This injury typically sidelines a player for 4-6 weeks and could put Turpin on injured reserve.
Cowboys view Turpin injury ‘least of our worries’ via The Dallas Morning News. That’s concerning because three of the Cowboys’ defensive starters left the game with injuries in the second half, and special teams ace C.J. Goodwin suffered a torn pectoral muscle that will keep him out for the remainder of the season.
Most notably, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch suffered what appeared to be a neck injury when he hit Micah Parsons while chasing a run in the fourth quarter. Vander Esch, who has missed a lot of time during his career with neck and back issues, has also been Dallas’ most reliable linebacker. According to “Sports News”he may be sent to injured reserve.
In addition to Vander Esch, safety Donovan Wilson also left the game with a leg injury that required assistance, while cornerbacks Jordan Lewis and Daron Brand also suffered unspecified injuries in the second half of the game disease. They both left the game for some time and were replaced by Noah Ibinohene and Juanye Thomas, with Max Bell and other linebackers also playing more snaps to make up for the absence of so many defensive backs.
According to a report from DMN, one or more of the players may have suffered a serious injury and may be out for some time. Star cornerback Trevon Diggs suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 practice, and the Cowboys can no longer afford to lose any more bodies on defense.
