Cowboys Guard Zack Martin has been placed on the Reserve-COVID list and will miss Thursday’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He will have the unfortunate distinction of being the first NFL player to be ruled out of a game in 2021 due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Third-year guard Connor McGovern should get the start in Martin’s absence. Thankfully, left guard Connor Williams was just activated from the list yesterday and will start against Tampa.
Martin was entering 2021 healthy and ready to get back to his perennial All-Pro and Pro Bowl play. His stabilizing presence was going to be important next to Center Tyler Biadasz, who’s only in his second season and still developing.
A huge blow in any context, losing Martin could be especially damaging for the Cowboys if Right Tackle La’el Collins continues to have health issues. While his status for Week One hasn’t really been questioned yet, Collins has been missing practices with a neck stinger and has a Thursday game looming large.
Dallas could be thin on interior line depth for Thursday with Brandon Knight also on the COVID list. Right now that leaves just 7th-round rookie Matt Farniok as a backup at guard and center.
We’ll see how this news about Zack Martin shuffles the roster ahead of the season opener. Hopefully this is just a one-week problem.
why is it that every openning of the season, the cowboys are always hurt or every thing else. i cant understand it. i think there jinx. i think jj needs to baptize the whole team.
Not good way to start the season
Tampa Bay blows out Dallas:
45-14
You’re an optimist. I’m calling 38-9.
The “improved D” manages to force a couple punts and a FG and gets a bunch of pats on the back from the media for doing that much against his royal highness, Tom Brady.
The rusty “elite O” embarrasses themselves by only managing one short FG and two “hold your breath as it squeezes through” long FG’s as the Tampa D gives Dak flashbacks to the 2019 Atlanta game.
This covid crap is BS. A guy gets the sniffles or loses taste and can’t play ball. What a joke.
Well, here we go. Bad news to start the season. Not to worry though I’m sure a rededicated (again) Zeke will help us overcome anything. I still say 10-7 is possible if Dak stays healthy.
This is great opportunity for McGovern to step up
The sky isn’t falling. Likely we weren’t winning this game anyway. We’ll use it for evaluation purposes, get healthy and move forward. Regardless I’m excited for the start of the season. Go Cowboys!
Agree with Justin, time for McGovern to step up. He was rated pretty good pre draft and did open holes for Barkley and M Sanders, two good ones, so…
Also agree with gary b, sky is not falling, and we were 7 pt underdogs before Martin injury. So
That said, there are “ifs” in this game for Cowboys to win, but not outside the possibility. Maybe?
If we get good pressure on Brady.
If EE runs more like his first three years level, which is being said that he is in “best shape”.
If we create some turnovers.
AND big IF, DP is not too rusty after the layoff/injury situation. IMO, they should have given him at least 2 or 3 series in last PS game. He was “full go”, right.
Too many ifs? Well, just hope we don’t get blown out on National TV.
Yea VAM pretty much hit on the blueprint for a victory if it is to happen. Control the clock running the ball and short passing game due to OL issues. Minimize mental errors and turnovers. And the defense needs to come up with a few turnovers. A few lucky bounces and who knows. Strange things happen the first game of the season. Teams don’t have their sea legs yet. That’s the optimistic outlook anyway.