Getty Tavon Austin
Suddenly, the Dallas Cowboys‘ receiving corps is under siege.
Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett announced Wednesday that veteran WR Tavon Austin is in the NFL’s concussion protocol after reporting symptoms of a brain malady stemming from the team’s Week 1 victory over the Giants.
“He had concussion symptoms coming out of the game, so we’ll just take his situation day by day,” Garrett said, per Pro Football Talk. “To be honest with you, he continued to feel some symptoms after the game. It wasn’t something that he needed to come out of the game for. So we just have to be mindful of that and take care of it.”
Garrett didn’t specify the severity of Austin’s concussion, except to say it likely happened while the seventh-year pro was engaged in blocking. He participated in Monday’s practice but complained of side effects Tuesday and now is sidelined for an undetermined length of time.
Acquired by Dallas in 2018 and re-signed this offseason, Austin caught one pass for eight yards in the team’s 35-17 throttling of New York. He’s entrenched as the Cowboys’ No. 4 wideout behind Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Randall Cobb, who’s also injured.
The league’s concussion protocol is a multi-pronged process in which affected players must incrementally work their way back to the field. The final step prior to clearance is gaining the green-light from both the club’s medical staff and an independent neurologist.
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Cobb Getting Better; Replacement Plan?
It was reported Tuesday that slot man Cobb is dealing with a rib injury he sustained against the Giants. Garrett initially termed it a “little rib thing” and reaffirmed Wednesday it’s a minor issue that won’t impact his Week 2 status.
If Austin cannot gain clearance by Sunday, the Cowboys would increase Devin Smith’s reps or possibly promote Cedrick Wilson from the practice squad. They have a tasty on-paper matchup against the Washington Redskins, whom Eagles wideout DeSean Jackson toasted for 154 yards and two scores.
Covington Elevated, Jackson to PS
Making the move official, the Cowboys signed linebacker Chris Covington to the active roster, as previously reported. Covington, a practice-squadder, takes the roster spot of running back Jordan Chunn, who was waived Tuesday. The team hoped to re-sign Chunn to the taxi squad if he cleared waivers.
But that may not happen, as Dallas reportedly brought back Darius Jackson to the 10-player practice unit. Jackson, who opened training camp as former holdout Ezekiel Elliott’s primary replacement, was released at final cuts along with rookie runner Mike Weber.
After chopping veteran plodder Alfred Morris prior to the opener, the club is set to move forward with an Elliott-Tony Pollard-Jamize Olawale backfield for the duration of the season. The depth chart reduction could speak to comfort level Dallas has in Elliott, who totaled 53 yards and a touchdown on a purposely-limited 13 carries against the Giants — his first action of 2019.
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