The anxiety around the Dallas Cowboys' safety position isn't getting any better. Starter Xavier Woods is unlikely to play in the regular season opener after the hamstring injury he suffered in last Saturday's preseason game.
Woods left the Bengals game in the 2nd quarter after diving to try to make an interception. He did not return.
Starting FS Xavier Woods (hamstring) will miss three-to-four weeks a source tells @TheAthleticDFW status for Week 1 uncertain.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 19, 2018
Jerry Jones on Cowboys safety Xavier Woods (hamstring): "I'm really looking forward to his year. We probably won't have him for the first game. [But] I think we'll be fine back there."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 21, 2018
Without Woods for Week 1, Dallas would likely start Kavon Frazier along with Jeff Heath against the Carolina Panthers. However, both of them are more ideally used as strong safeties than the free safety position that Xavier plays.
Another in-house option would be to temporarily move cornerback Byron Jones back to safety. Jones has played safety for the last two years and just switched to corner. Even with the brief time away, he may still be the best option to play free safety given his athleticism.
Of course, most fans wants Xavier's absence to finally push Dallas to make the trade for Seattle's Earl Thomas. The All-Pro remains a holdout for the Seahawks and the two sides don't appear close to reconciling.
However this plays out, it's disappointing that Woods probably won't get to show his stuff in the season opener. Hopefully his can have a speedy recovery and at least be back for Week 2, if not sooner.
