While injuries are part of the game, it is hard to fathom how many injuries have already hit the Dallas Cowboys over the first six practices of training camp.
Tyler Guyton avoided a catastrophic injury when he went down on Monday. The second-year offensive tackle will only miss 4-6 weeks with a knee fracture. Breakout tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford is on the shelf for a few weeks with a high-ankle sprain, and that doesn't include the players that entered camp on the physically unable to perform list.
The hits kept coming on Tuesday, as cornerback Caelen Carson will miss 4-6 weeks with a hyperextended knee that he suffered over the weekend, per ESPN's Todd Archer.
Cowboys will be without CB Caelen Carson for 4-6 weeks due to a knee injury
Just a brutal update for a secondary that is already decimated at cornerback.
Trevon Diggs, Shavon Revel Jr. and Josh Butler are all on the comeback trail from major knee injuries. All three players have started doing individual work in camp, but Diggs and Butler are expected to miss the start of the season. There is hope that Revel will be activated in a couple weeks, but the Cowboys would be smart to exercise caution with their third-round pick.
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As for Carson, this is a concerning setback for a player that needs reps. The 2024 fourth-round pick got off to a promising start as a rookie, but a nagging shoulder injury limited him to six games. He initially missed four games, returned for Weeks 9-11, but then was placed on injured reserve in November because he couldn't shake the injury.
Carson underwent surgery early in the offseason and was limited in OTAs and minicamp. He was seeing consistent first-team action with Diggs, Revel and Butler all on the shelf. DaRon Bland missed a few practices last week following the birth of his child, and nickel option Juanyeh Thomas has missed the last two sessions with an apparent leg injury.
While Carson's injury isn't season-ending, it leaves the Cowboys in full-blown crisis mode at cornerback. The team signed Christian Matthew on Tuesday, but he hasn't played a single coverage snap in the regular season since 2022.
Even if Dallas is confident in the recovery of its injured corners, it might be time to stop scraping the bottom of the free agent barrel and finally make an impact signing.