Football is a dangerous game. There’s no way around it.
So when we discuss these players battling through injury to play in a sport which may (or may not but definitely seems to) cause long term health defects, we do need to have a level of sensitivity. And Leighton Vander Esch’s situation seems to require that sensitivity right now.
Vander Esch missed seven games last season, including the final six of the year due to a nagging neck injury. He’s had these neck issues for a couple of seasons now dating back to college, but they apparently had grown so severe that offseason surgery was required.
Football is already a wildly physical sport, and playing linebacker only emphasizes that physicality further. Vander Esch obviously needs to put his long term health above all here, but it is fair to wonder what his future in football really looks like right now.
Yesterday on local Dallas sports radio, Bryan Broaddus said that he had been “hearing some concerns” about Leighton Vander Esch. The third year linebacker is no doubt an awesome player on the field, so Bryan’s comments are clearly linked to the medical side of things.
“I’ve been hearing some concerns about Leighton Vander Esch” @BryanBroaddus on @1053thefan
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) February 24, 2020
Former ITS colleague and current Blogging the Boys writer Connor Livesay dropped the quote on Twitter and watched the world burn. But the Cowboys themselves talked about Vander Esch’s recovery at the combine this week.
Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck) is expected to participate in spring workouts to some degree. VP Stephen Jones on exact schedule: "Once we see him, we'll have a better feel for it. But he'll have some limitations up until training camp before we really turn him loose."
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) February 24, 2020
The official team site released an update on Vander Esch Tuesday morning, quoting Stephen Jones as saying “The feedback is good. We feel good about it.” Jones also added that Vander Esch will have “limitations” up until training camp when they can hopefully “turn him loose.”
I’m far from a doctor, but the initial vagueness and increasing severity of the news around the injury certainly felt weird.
Hopefully Leighton Vander Esch can continue to heal and be ready for a long and prosperous football career, but his workload for the 2020 season is still in question.
I love LVE, awesome LB. Cut him now and get a LB who isn’t hurt because LVE is going to re injure his neck and miss most of season. It’s a business and have to cut workers who won’t help win in long run.
While your at it cut Prescott too and let him see how much other teams are willing to pay. He should settle for 30mil and he’d make 20mil off endorsements, he must be greedy, I could live off 1 year of what he makes.
Football os a dangerous game. The players deserve to be paid those high salaries because they put their health and even their lives in danger every single time they take the field. Pay Dak, and pay him well.
that would be insane to cut dak and unfortunately it’s not by what you could live off of it’s by the market. he deserves what’s fair the dude hasn’t missed 1 single game in 4 years not to mention his leadership skills are great you can’t teach that. good thing you’re not in the front office obviously u think good QBs come a dime a dozen
dak deserves to to be paid very well for everything that he has accomplished and what he brings to Big “D”.I truly believe that he will be behind center when THE BOYS hoist their next Lombardi trophy so al you dak haters beware it’s coming
I agree totally,cut Prescott’s ass he is selfish and says he doesn’t play for the money but turned down 33 million,SOUNDS SELFISH TO ME!!!
You people are something else! Cut Prescott because he want give a hometown discount. I’m not going to waste words here explaining how valuable he is, but here is the crap that kills me! When Romo played, Jerry had not problem making him the highest paid, now DAk is greedy, selfish and all that other crap! How come you Dak haters have a problem paying a “Black Man” his money, I did not hear this crap with Romo, WTF!!
Fred, this is an article about linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. I would also like to re-sign Dak. Thanks for reading
3 words cowboy fans………..Clyde Edwards Helaire ……
If. Anybody in the Cowboys front office can see this….draft him….at all cost…. .Wiiiie…..Jerry….Stephen….Coach McCarthy….inside the star………..
Dak is not worth 30 million an elite QB takes a team with Dallas talent and puts them on his back to win 3 or 4 games a year if your elite that means we are 12-4 last season and Elliot is on the downside and we give him 15 million a year, Prescotts rookie year we put Romo back in a QB that can pass down field with line that was at its best , we win super bowl in my opinion , they can win with Prescott a game manager , he is not worth 33 million 20 at best.