Cowboys place DT on IR, poach another from rival practice squad

When the Dallas Cowboys hired Mike Zimmer to be their new defensive coordinator for the 2024 season, there were mixed emotions from the fanbase. Those emotions continue to be mixed just two games into the season.

One very good defensive showing in Cleveland has been erased by one of the worst defensive performances in recent memory at home versus the New Orleans Saints. The Cowboys allowed touchdowns on the Saints’ first six drives, and also allowed 4.9 yards per carry.

That yards per carry average is a low number for the game considering RB Alvin Kamara averaged 5.8 by himself. Dallas seems to have found a scapegoat for the rushing woes. DT Jordan Phillips, acquired via trade from the New York Giants this offseason, has been sent to Injured Reserve (four games) with a wrist injury.

In a corresponding move, they have poached another defensive tackle from the Washington Commanders’ practice squad. It’s a familiar face: Carlos Watkins.

Is Jordan Phillips Really Injured?

One of the qualities that Mike Zimmer has, according to his former colleague and NFL analyst Bryan Broaddus, is that he does not put up with players who don’t do their job. Phillips being placed on IR with an injured wrist seems like a common move by an NFL team, but the plot thickens.

A recent tweet/post on Twitter/X by All City DLLS beat reporter Clarence Hill Jr. suggests that Phillips is not injured. As a matter of fact, it not only suggests it, but that was Phillips’ actual response when asked about it during the media portion of the locker room.

https://twitter.com/clarencehilljr/status/1836493932928319878?s=46&t=JdIlAbCHRyncA5fEdnF_Gw

Hill reports that when questioned about the wrist injury, Phillips responded that he is being placed on injured reserve, but there is nothing wrong with his wrist. He said his wrist is fine. It is what it is. He has to accept the decision of the organization.

Phillips’ frustration and disappointment are palpable, and it seems like this move is Zimmer punishing the player for not being effective through two weeks. This must be what Broaddus was talking about when he said Zimmer doesn’t put up with players who don’t do their job on the field.

This is new territory for the Cowboys and their fans. Usually, players are not held accountable for poor play. At least not to the point where they are completely replaced in week 2 of the regular season. The Cowboys are notorious for “liking their guys” more than the fanbase would like. Is Zimmer changing those bad habits? I hope so.

Changing bad personnel habits is one thing, but hopefully, Phillips’ frustration and quick words will not come back to haunt the Cowboys in any way. It’s no secret that the Cowboys have created injuries and used IR as an excuse to stash players instead of releasing them, but never before has a player openly admitted that he is not injured.

The Cowboys have since released a statement saying Phillips has a sprained wrist, and they are cautious about his injury. There are penalties laid down by the NFL when teams do not report injuries, but are there penalties for teams who fake injuries to make roster moves?

Welcome Back, Carlos Watkins

In the wake of Phillips’ IR sentence, the Cowboys have brought back a familiar face: DT Carlos Watkins. Watkins played 27 games for Dallas during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and was a valuable piece of the defensive line rotation.

He was poached from the Washington Commanders’ practice squad where he had joined his former defensive coordinator with the Cowboys, Dan Quinn. Watkins played sparingly in week 2 versus the New York Giants, finishing with a blank stat line.

Watkins, measuring in at 6’3″ tall and 305 pounds, brings some versatility to Zimmer’s defensive line rotation. He can play a 3-technique defensive tackle in 4-3 formations, or he can bump outside to defensive end should Zimmer decide to line up in a 3-4 look.

The journeyman defensive tackle has played for four teams in his seven-year career, and hopefully, his second stint with the Dallas Cowboys will be a productive one under Mike Zimmer.