Following a horrific defensive injury, the Cowboys’ recent practice squad addition seems brilliant.
The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 33–13 on Sunday night, but not before scaring themselves several times with injuries.
Rico Dowdle’s ankle caused him to miss a few snaps, while the Cowboys’ press box disclosed the in-game injuries of defensive backs Malik Hooker (ankle) and Jourdan Lewis (dehydration) before they were able to play again.
The three players were able to return and help the team win, but defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins was not as fortunate. He was carted off the field in the third quarter due to an ankle injury and was later declared ineligible.
Hankins had a “mild” high-ankle sprain, according to an MRI. Not ideal, but considering the DT’s response to the injury, not worse-case either. Although Hankins is anticipated to miss time,
The addition of Carl Davis by the Cowboys to the practice squad is significant following Jonathan Hankins’ ankle injury.
Given Hankins’ injury, the signing of Davis might be very significant.
Hankins, who is close to playing in a multi-sack game against the Commanders on Thanksgiving, is an underappreciated member of the Cowboys defense. For Hankins, who specializes in blocking gaps against the run with his massive 6-foot-2, 320-pound body, those QB takedowns are more of an exception.
Impressively, Davis stands 6 feet 5 inches and 335 pounds taller than Hankins. Previously selected by the Ravens in the third round in 2015, Davis has made 19 career stars in 72 games. He has spent the majority of his career as a rotational player, and on rush plays, he’ll probably form a platoon with rookie Mazi Smith and Neville Gallimore.
Although Odighizuwa can dominate running plays, it is obvious that Dan Quinn would rather keep him fresh for pass rushes because, according to ESPN analytics, he is the second-best defensive lineman with a 20% pass-rush victory rate, only surpassed by Aaron Donald.
Regarding how the Cowboys will replace Hankins, there are a lot of unknowns. whatever, considering the quality of opponents Dallas will face the remainder of the season, it is important to have an experienced veteran like Davis to promote to the active roster for whatever long Hankins is sidelined.
A terrible injury befalls a former Cowboys starter just before free agency.
Ezekiel Elliott, a former Dallas Cowboy who took over as the starting backfield player in New England following starter Rhamondre Stevenson’s ankle injury, is one of several former Cowboys who are thriving with their new teams. Elliott’s 140 scrimmage yards and touchdown last Thursday helped the Patriots defeat the Steelers.
Other than that, Amari Cooper (wipes tear from eye) is still having a great season with the Browns, Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown have a strong rapport with C.J. Stroud in Houston, and Connor McGovern has quietly had a nice season as the starting left guard for the Bills.
McGovern is the most recent offensive lineman to leave the Cowboys and land a starting position somewhere. Connor Williams departed in 2022 in order to become a free agent this past offseason. He did so in
ACL tear prevents former Cowboys OL Connor Williams from playing for the season.
Williams, who was having another fantastic season and was expected to fetch a big salary in free agency, is our heartbreak. Although ACL injuries no longer have the same devastating effects on a player’s career as they did a decade ago, one must wonder how Williams’ injury may affect his offseason options.
But by the time the legal tampering window starts in mid-March, teams may have a reasonable estimate of how long Williams will take to recuperate, depending on when he has surgery. While some sportsmen, like Michael Gallup, prefer to wait for all swelling to go down, others prefer to have surgery as soon as possible following injuries to get an early start on the rehabilitation process.
In any case, Williams is devastated by this.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), of centers that have played 350 plays this season, the former Cowboy has given up the fewest QB hits (one) and pressures (four). His four hurries are tied for the fewest, his pass-blocking grade of 71.7 is in the top 10, and his run-blocking rating of 90.5 is second at the position.
Williams, a four-year starter for the Cowboys at left guard, has developed into one of the best centers in the league. Given the aforementioned figures, it seems likely that he will still have a substantial market when free agency rolls around.
However, you have to believe that Williams will suffer some sort of loss as a result of the injury, whether it be in terms of contract length, guaranteed income, or annual average value.
This is good news for Dallas because the Cowboys play the Dolphins in Miami in two weeks, but it’s also bad news for Williams.
I’m hoping he can recover and still land a bag in free agency.