Dallas Cowboys: Charles Tapper likely out 10-12 weeks

The Dallas Cowboys will be without one of their young pass rushers for a majority of the regular season due to a broken bone in his foot.

In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys possessed two selections in the fourth round. Despite a need for a back-up quarterback as insurance for a frail Tony Romo under center, Dallas opted to take Oklahoma defensive end Charles Tapper with their first pick in that round. Luckily for the Cowboys, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott was still available 34 picks later.

Tapper went on to miss his entire rookie season due to a discovered back issue, a Pars defect, which is a stress fracture in his lower back. Prescott went on to lead the Cowboys to a 13-3 record and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Medically cleared, Tapper returned this season intent on making an impact on this Dallas defense. And he did, recording a sack in his first game as a professional, in a win over the New York Giants in Week One. But after going radio silent in Week Two, the 24-year old landed on the inactives list the past two weeks.

Now it’s being reported Tapper has broken a bone in his right foot, and will have surgery to correct it later this week. His recovery time is expected to be 10-12 weeks. There is no word whether Tapper will be placed on season-ending IR.

It’s a sad conclusion to yet another season for Charles Tapper. The second-year defensive player possess the raw traits you love to see in a prospect. But his continued health issues and inability to really separate himself from the pack in the preseason and through training camp has been disappointing.

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As one Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman exits, another one enters as David Irving has returned from his four game PED suspension. Irving is expected to play against the Green Bay Packers this Sunday, a team he had a lot of success against last season.