Cowboys news: Jourdan Lewis having another productive year after overcoming injury

The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys

Jourdan Lewis talks Lions, competitive fire and being ‘tone-setter’ for Cowboys – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com

Jourdan Lewis’ amazing story doesn’t get told enough.

That respect is rooted in not only his competitive fire, or the fact he’s the longest tenured defensive player in Dallas not named DeMarcus Lawrence, but also in how he overcame a devastating injury in 2022 that nearly ended his football career.

It was one that thrust him into depression and forced him to face his darkest demons and, with the help of coaches and teammates, he was able to beat back and defeat.

He’d return in 2023, but to a slow start, and that was not necessarily a surprise when considering just how awful the injury was. Lewis intercepted a throw from Jared Goff in the Cowboys’ matchup against the Detroit Lions, in 2022, and his foot shattered — literally shattered — as he landed and attempted to push off.

He shared, recently, that he fractured nearly every bone in his foot and shredded every ligament and tendon to varying degrees, some completely torn altogether.

“I didn’t think I’d ever play again,” he said. “[I think] about that everyday.”

Lewis underwent an extensive surgery that required a metal plate and brace placed in his foot along with a total of five screws, effectively reshaping his foot to the point he had to relearn how to walk, run, jump and cut before he could be medically cleared for football activities, trying first to regain a sense of normalcy in his everyday life.

Through all of this, in a matter of only several months or more, Lewis is not only back to prime form but, arguably, he’s better than he’s ever been.

Cowboys are left with obvious Ezekiel Elliott decision after Week 5 win – Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat

Everybody seems to be questioning Zeke’s role on this roster.

Dowdle’s goal-line fumble capsized his rushing grade, but he forced six missed tackle in the game, which was tied for the third-most of any running back in Week 5, per Pro Football Focus. He also had the second-most explosive runs of any back.

Elliott, who is seemingly battling a mysterious injury, worked as the second back against the Steelers and finished with six carries for 17 yards. However, it was Dowdle and fullback Hunter Luepke who saw the most touches on the Cowboys’ game-winning drive. Elliott converted a 3rd-and-1 on the drive, but that was his only touch.

Even more noteworthy? Elliott didn’t receive a single touch on Dallas’ 16-play, 90-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that put them in front 13-10. Dowdle saw eight touches on the drive, including his receiving touchdown on 2nd-and-10 just outside the red zone.

While McCarthy trusts Elliott to convert in short-yardage situations, it can be argued that he prefers Luepke to Elliott when the offense needs to put up yards in a hurry. That shouldn’t surprise anyone as Luepke is far more dynamic than the elder statesman.

Don’t expect the Cowboys to cut Elliott outright, but based on what transpired Sunday night don’t be shocked if Zeke is a healthy scratch next week and Dalvin Cook gets elevated from the practice squad. It’s been a long time coming.

Cowboys roster moves: Marshawn Kneeland to IR, Carl Lawson promoted, DaRon Bland named for return – RJ Ochoa, BloggingTheBoys.com

New injuries and players returning from injury cause a roster shuffling.

The Dallas Cowboys announced a handful of roster moves on Wednesday. None of them were particularly shocking, but they are now official nonetheless.

It was reported on Tuesday afternoon that DaRon Bland has a chance to play (to some degree) on Sunday against the Detroit Lions so his designation to return was a formality that we knew was inevitable. In addition to that move, the Cowboys have now officially placed rookie Marshawn Kneeland on injured reserve and signed Carl Lawson to the active roster in his place.

It goes without saying that the Cowboys are in a dire situation from an injury perspective as Sam Williams did tear his ACL at the beginning of training camp, Micah Parsons is dealing with a high-ankle sprain and DeMarcus Lawrence is already on injured reserve with a foot injury. That the Cowboys are getting anything back right now is a huge win.

Notably the Cowboys are on their bye next week which will provide some more time for players to rest up, heal and get right. Even though that is the case, Kneeland must now miss at least four games starting with Sunday’s against the Lions. After that the next three games for the Cowboys are at the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons before hosting the Philadelphia Eagles. That takes us to the middle of November for context.

Tiering all 32 NFL quarterback contract situations – Dan Graziano, ESPN

How Dak Prescott’s contract ties him to the Cowboys for four (or more) years.

4. Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott

Signed through: 2028

Remaining guarantees: $47.75 million

Earliest exit point: 2027 offseason

Prescott’s recently signed extension included an $80 million signing bonus and fully guaranteed salaries of $1.25 million in 2024 and $47.75 million in 2025. On the fifth day of the 2025 league year (March 17), his $40 million salary for 2026 becomes fully guaranteed. On the fifth day of the 2026 league year, his $45 million salary for 2027 becomes fully guaranteed. All of those salaries — plus $17 million of his $55 million salary for 2028 — are guaranteed against injury.

So if Prescott is healthy, and they cut him after the 2026 season but before the fifth day of the 2027 league year, they will have paid him $169 million for three seasons. That’s an average of $56.3 million per year, which is a lot. But we’re dealing with a hypothetical and unrealistic scenario in which Prescott has stayed healthy but played poorly, leading the Cowboys to eat $33.38 million in dead money on their 2027 salary cap.

Prescott’s deal ties him to the Cowboys for at least the next three years and probably at least the next four. And assuming the Cowboys restructure it next offseason as expected, it’ll be even more restrictive for them moving forward. That all said, Prescott is fourth in QBR over the past two years (69.9), is the only quarterback in the NFL with more than 40 touchdown passes over that time and is 31 years old.

Here are the first injury reports of the week for both the Cowboys and Lions.