FRISCO, Texas — Roughly two weeks ago, the Dallas Cowboys were feeling great about their injury report as key players began to get healthy and return to the practice and playing field. In the blink of an eye, they're suddenly back to having a lengthy and growing list of injuries that will again cost them impact players going forward.
PJ Locke missed time this season before returning and suffering a concussion in Week 8, clearing protocol ahead of the matchup against the Indianapolis Colts before suffering a second concussion in as many weeks and, this time, he will not return in only a week's time.
On Monday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys officially ruled Locke out of the looming contest against the San Francisco 49ers — a sign he will likely miss multiple games.
It was a scary sight to see Locke lying motionless for several moments before being helped to the sideline and not being permitted to return at Lucas Oil Stadium.
On the offensive side of the ball, the team will be without tight end Jake Ferguson and Tyler Goodson for "multiple weeks", Schottenheimer added, both nursing knee injuries suffered against the Colts.
Ferguson scored the first touchdown for the Cowboys in Indy on an athletic catch before a later hit ended his afternoon, and Goodson actually returned after suffering his injury, but tests after the game revealed a very concerning issue that has yet to be disclosed.
Goodson finished with 77 rushing yards on 6.7 yards per carry in Week 9, ratcheting up his impact as both RB2 and a kick returner in the absence of KaVontae Turpin (ribs).
Turpin will join DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring/back), George Pickens (hamstring) and Joey Porter Jr. (ankle), those three were ruled out ahead of kickoff against the Colts, in the rehab group this week to determine if either of them can go against the 49ers.
And with Ferguson down, the expectation is that Luke Schoonmaker will return from injury to help with the currently ailing tight end depth chart.
There is no word as yet regarding Jalen Thompson (hamstring). His 21-day practice window could have been activated following the win over the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Cowboys are giving him more time to recover from an injury that's now cost him seven complete games.
And though Marist Liufau was activated from injured reserve last week, Malachi Lawrence recently joined Thompson on IR, leaving the Cowboys with only one IR-DTR (designated to return) spot this regular season, assuming Lawrence returns as expected.
That means if Ferguson, Goodson and Locke are moved to IR, only one of them would be allowed to return unless the Cowboys make the playoffs.
That means "tough decisions" for the Cowboys regarding who to carry on the active roster, costing them the ability to add production to the 53-man roster while those players rehab; or if they're facing the end of someone's season to sign a replacement to the active depth chart.
The bye week for the Cowboys isn't until Week 14, and it clearly can not arrive soon enough for a banged up Dallas team that has become a preferred flavor for the injury bug.
