The Cowboys were able to move a couple of players off of IR to the active roster on Saturday before the trip to Washington.
Veteran OT Chuma Edoga has been on IR since the start of the season with a toe injury and he’s been moved to the 53. Also, rookie
defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (knee) has been taken off of IR and now on the 53-man roster.
To make room, the Cowboys placed safety Markquese Bell on IR with a season-ending shoulder injury. The team also released
defensive end K.J. Henry.
The Cowboys decided not to elevate wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the active roster ahead of this game with the Commanders.
Cooks has been on IR since Week 5 and practiced this week in a limited basis with a knee injury.
But the Cowboys opted not to move him to the roster. Cooks could be an option to play on a short week Thursday against the Giants on
Thanksgiving.
The Cowboys elevated tight end Princeton Fant from the practice squad with Jake Ferguson out with a concussion.
Fant will join Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford as active tight ends but could also help at fullback where Hunter Luepke is
questionable with a calf injury.
The Cowboys also elevated cornerback KLemon Hall with Trevon Diggs ruled out with injuries.
Cowboys offensive lineman Zack Martin is doubtful to play in Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders with an
ankle/shoulder injury.
“I think probably it’s going to be tough for Zack to play in this game, unfortunately he hurt his other ankle…” Cowboys EVP Stephen
Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “This is going to be a tough one for him to make this week.”
Martin sustained the injury in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans last Monday, and did not participate in practice the
entire week.
From the rest of the injury report, Tyler Smith (ankle/knee) is questionable to play on Sunday, alongside Brandin Cooks (knee),
Trevon Diggs (groin/knee), and Marshawn Kneeland (knee). Jake Ferguson (concussion) is out, and DaRon Bland (foot) is good to go,
and will make his season debut against the Commanders.
The Cowboys will go head-to-head with one of their more beloved former coaches on Sunday in Commanders head coach Dan Quinn.
Guys like Micah Parsons appreciate how good of a player’s coach Quinn was during and after his time as defensive coordinator in
Dallas, including helping get Parsons’ family tickets for Sunday’s game.
“That goes to show you what type of coach DQ is and type of player’s coach he is,” Parsons said. “Regardless of where you at, whether
you’re playing for him and things like that, he’s always about his guys and that’s my guy. It’s going to be fun playing against him.”
On the field though, Parsons isn’t holding back, and he knows Quinn won’t either.
“I know he’s going to have them rallied up, he’s probably going to say ‘It’s shark week, it’s fight night, we got to go to round 12’… I
know his whole spiel, but I’m Tommy Jones tonight.”
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did not practice on Thursday, popping up on the injury report with a back and foot issue.
Lamb was limited Wednesday but listed as DNP for Thursday – one of six players with that designation. Notable players who did not
practice include Zack Martin, Tyler Smith and Jake Ferguson.
Lamb has played in all 10 games this season, leading the team with 67 catches for 774 yards and four touchdowns.
Just a few plays into his first NFL start, Marshawn Kneeland suffered a knee injury that has kept him out of action since the Oct. 6
game in Pittsburgh.
After he’s missed five straight games, Kneeland said he’s “definitely” close to playing this week against the Commanders. He said the
physical part of the injury has been worse that overcoming any mental hurdles in the rehab.
“I’ve been injured before,” Kneeland said. “So it really doesn’t take its toll mentally for me because I know I’ll be able to come back
stronger.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that he expects All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland to make his season debut on
Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
“Yes I do,” Jones said when asked if he believed Bland would be good to go. “Unless something pops its head up in the next couple of
days.”
Bland was a full participant in Wednesday’s walkthrough practice, the first time he had practiced with the team since he suffered a
setback in his recovery ahead of the bye week.
