One of the reasons the Dallas Cowboys were so successful last season is the fact that the team stayed relatively healthy.
Yes, Dak Prescott broke his thumb after striking it on a Buccaneers’ defender’s helmet in Week 1, and missed five games.
However, the health of the rest of the team allowed the Cowboys to stay afloat in Prescott’s absence with Cooper Rush at the helm.
Rush led Dallas to a 4-1 record, his only loss at Philadelphia, the eventual NFC champions.
His numbers did not jump off of anyone’s stat sheet, instead being boosted by a healthy and nearly impregnable defense.
All anyone hopes for in the preseason aside from all rookies to turn into superstars is for all players to remain healthy.
It appears the Cowboys’ run of good luck regarding health dating back to last year has finally come to an end on the Seattle turf.
In their second preseason game of 2023, Dallas traveled Northwest to the state of Washington to take on the Seattle Seahawks.
Although there were several splash plays made by players like Deuce Vaughn and Jalen Tolbert, the Cowboys fell short on the scoreboard by the score of 22-14.
The loss doesn’t matter in preseason, but Dallas had injury added to insult with a grand total of four total players falling victim to the injury bug.
None bigger than…
DeMarvion Overshown
Cowboys’ rookie DeMarvion Overshown made what appeared to be a routine tackle on a Seahawks’ ball carrier in the first half.
Instead of popping back up and huddling up the defense for the next play, Overshown threw himself back and remained on the turf of Lumen Field.
He eventually got up and walked off the field on his own power, but it was false hope for the Cowboys’ fan base.
An MRI performed on his left knee early Sunday morning revealed our worst fears, a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament.
Overshown has immediately been ruled out for the season, and surgery has yet to be scheduled.
This injury is a huge blow to a linebacker unit whose depth was already in question.
John Stephens Jr.
Another rookie suffered the exact same fate as Overshown on Saturday night.
Undrafted free agent TE John Stephens Jr. collided knees with a Seahawks’ defensive lineman while releasing for a route.
Stephens could not finish his route, instead limping his way to the sideline.
MRI results from Sunday morning revealed terrible news, a torn ACL in his left knee.
His season is now over.
Stephens turned heads at training camp, and was expected to put pressure on Peyton Hendershot and Sean McKeon for a spot on the final roster.
Matt Waletzko
Backup offensive lineman Matt Waletzko also exited Saturday night’s game at Seattle with an injury.
It was diagnosed as a subluxation of his right shoulder.
It’s not season ending by any means, but it is concerning since Waletzko missed his entire rookie year with a subluxation of his opposite shoulder.
Waletzko is battling to be named the team’s top swing tackle, and this injury will set his development back more than Cowboys fans would like.
Sheldrick Redwine
Cowboys defensive back Sheldrick Redwine suffered a hamstring injury Saturday night.
There are no other details to the extent of the injury, and whether or not he will miss time.
Redwine is fighting for a spot on the 53 man roster, and any missed time will lessen his chances.
What do you expect? These guys barely get any reps in a soft training camp and then they are the ones starting live games in preseason.
Either fix training camp or play your starters who had the most reps/conditioning and are ready for the physical game days.
The NFLPA demands no contact practices but there are more major injuries now than when teams did 4 weeks of full pads 2 a days. Not playing real football in practice means the real games at full speed are the first real contact .Contact practice got you used to being hit and taught how to take contact. Now, you watch and players do not know how to roll with contact and pull up legs to protect knees . They stick their hands down to try to catch themselves on falling which is the absolutely wrong way to fall.
Return to real football at practice and major injuries will return to prior levels.
What is this guy talking about?? Last year we lost our starting LT, QB1, and DBs 2 &3 in the year. That’s not even talking about our WR2 receiver missing part of the year and ineffective the rest. It’s amazing we went 12-5 with all of that.