Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys are apparently in the free agency market after the team’s latest injury news requires the team to bring in new blood.
It’s never easy to navigate the injury bug, but the Cowboys have done exceptionally well this season. The team is 3-1 despite injuries to players like quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver James Washington and corner Jourdan Lewis.
However, the latest injury comes at a surprising position: long snapper. According to DallasCowboys.com writer Nick Eatman, Cowboys long snapper Jake McQuaide has suffered a serious arm injury and is likely done for the 2022 season.
“Veteran deep snapper Jake McQuaide is likely out for the season with a torn triceps injury,” Eatman Tweeted on October 4. “The Cowboys worked out some snappers today, possibly signing to the practice squad.”
It’s a tough break for McQuaide, who has been on the Dallas roster since the beginning of the 2021 season. Now, Dallas has added two players to the practice squad in order to mitigate the loss.
Cowboys Sign Two Veteran Free Agents
After Eatman’s initial report on McQuaide’s triceps injury, NFL media insider Tom Pelissero Tweeted out that the team has already decided on their two free agency additions.
“The #Cowboys are signing long snappers Matt Overton and Tucker Addington to the practice squad after Jake McQuaide suffered a torn triceps that likely will sideline him for the season, per sources,” Pelissero posted on October 4.
Overton is the most recognizable of the two names, as he has been long snapping in the NFL for nine seasons and has played for the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers.
As for Addington, he is trying to stake his claim for an NFL roster spot. Addington attended Sam Houston in college before being selected by the Houston Gamblers in the 2022 USFL draft.
On the surface, it seems like Overton is the favorite for the position based on his veteran experience. However, he hasn’t held down the job long-term in recent years, as the Titans and Chargers both moved on after one season with the veteran.
Either way, whoever steps in will have big holes to fill, as McQuaide is missing game time for the first time in his 12-season NFL career.
McQuaide Comes to Dallas After Rams Tenure
Being a long snapper in the NFL isn’t easy, as minor mistakes or misses in execution aren’t really acceptable. Blown field goals or botched punts are killers for any NFL team, and that’s why McQuaide’s career is fairly exceptional.
From the 2011 season through the 2020 season, McQuaide was the Los Angeles Rams’ long snapper. That’s 160 regular season games according to Pro Football Reference, and that alone is proof that McQuaide is very good at his job.
After 10 seasons in St. Louis and Los Angeles, McQuaide parted ways with the Rams organization and joined up with the Cowboys. He was the snapper in all 18 games of the 2021 season, and had continued that streak through this year’s first four games.
Now, McQuaide will have to see if he can recover in time for the end of the season, but it appears unlikely.