3 burning questions on defense/special teams the Cowboys must answer during training camp

3. How long will Jourdan Lewis be out?

Jourdan Lewis suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury in Week 7 and will likely start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

It's not unusual to see Lewis start camp on the sidelines as he works his way back from the foot injury. The recovery timeline for a Lisfranc injury is between nine and 12 months. The end of July puts the cornerback around the nine-month time frame.

But just how much of Lewis will we see in training camp.

The end of August will put the cornerback around the 10-month recovery timeline, and he still might not be ready to play by then. Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman suffered a similar Lisfranc injury in Week 8. But, Bateman is expected to be ready for Ravens camp.

There's a likely chance that Lewis will miss the entirety of training camp and maybe even the first couple of weeks of the season. The Cowboys are already thin at cornerback, so they hope to get him back soon.

The good news, though, is that DaRon Bland will likely see first-team reps. The Cowboys' 2022 fifth-round rookie was excellent as a rookie.

Bland had five interceptions, seven passes deflected, and 54 tackles in 17 games last season. He started eight games and played 90% of the team's snaps in five of those contests. Most of his damage came after Lewis suffered the season-ending injury.

Whether Lewis or Bland starts in the slot this season remains a question mark. That question probably won't be answered during Training Camp due to the veteran's injury.

Either way, a healthy Lewis is a good thing. He'll give the Cowboys much-needed flexibility in their cornerback room because behind Trevon Diggs, Gilmore, and Bland are rookie Eric Scott Jr., Nahshon Wright, and Kelvin Joseph.