Cowboys lose Jayron Kearse, Connor McGovern for multiple weeks
The bad news continues to pour in for the Dallas Cowboys and we’ve only played one week of the 2022 NFL season. Not much went right in Sunday’s brutal loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In fact, the Cowboys were the only team in the NFL that was unable to score a touchdown in Week 1.
There was a bit of hope that they could clean things up in Week 2 until QB1 Dak Prescott left the game late in the fourth quarter with a hand injury. Prescott initially thought he just jammed his thumb, but X-rays showed a fracture that led him to undergo surgery on Monday. Early reports said the Cowboys leader will be out roughly six to eight weeks.
It turns out he won’t be the only one missing time.
In the team’s first drive on the game, left guard Connor McGovern had his ankle rolled on by a Bucs player. The offensive lineman immediately clutched his ankle and had to be helped off the field. He later walked back from the locker room on his own but was ruled out the for the game causing concern for an already desolate offensive line.
On the defensive side of the ball, safety Jayron Kearse also had to be helped off the field. Trevon Diggs carried his secondary teammate halfway before the safety fell to the ground and needed medical attention. Reporters saw Kearse after the game with crutches and noted the Cowboy was barely able to put weight on his leg.
Both players are expected to miss two to four weeks.
S Jayron Kearse has a sprained MCL and G Connor McGovern has a high-ankle sprain. Both players projected to miss 2-4 weeks a person with knowledge of the injuries told @dmn_cowboys
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) September 12, 2022
Cowboys S Jayron Kearse and LG Connor McGovern to miss 2-4 weeks with injuries
McGovern is dealing with a high ankle sprain and Kearse has a sprained MCL.
There is some good news. Kearse’s ligament remains intact, which is likely why he is only expected to miss 2-4 weeks rather than a season-ending injury. Additionally, unlike many other positional groups, the Cowboys actually added a solid amount of depth to the safety unit this offseason.
Malik Hooker will remain a starting safety and Donovan Wilson will be upgraded to a starter. Israel Mukuamu and Markquese Bell, who both had great performances in training camp and preseason, were inactive on Sunday night but should get some reps in the next few weeks. This is a great opportunity for both guys.
The offensive line, on the other hand, does not have depth. McGovern was already a subpar option for left guard and his replacement, Matt Farniok, is certainly not better. Although, to be fair, Farniok did seem to hold his own in the rest of the game. Jason Peters should be ready in a couple of weeks, but who knows if that will be before or after McGovern is back.
The disastrous Week 1 performance just keeps bringing worse and worse news. Losing Prescott is the major blow, but not having Kearse or McGovern certainly doesn’t help at all.
