Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy watches during an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys have an important opener against the New York Giants, but they are not at 100% as a roster heading into Week 1. In fact, head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that three players are currently out of practice due to issues, and it’s unclear if they will return in time for Sunday.
Dallas will have to wait and see on the recoveries of safety Donovan Wilson, offensive lineman Tyler Smith and defensive end Sam Williams. Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken posted live from McCarthy’s latest press conference, who stated that Smith and Wilson are in similar situations.
“Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said LG Tyler Smith (hamstring) and S Donovan Wilson (calf) won’t practice today, working instead with director of rehabilitation Britt Brown. Goal is for them to practice late this week,” Gehlken wrote on September 6. “First hamstring injury Smith has had. New experience for him.”
McCarthy then spoke on Williams, who is suffering from a recent turf toe issue.
“Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said DE Sam Williams, who suffered turf toe last Wednesday, won’t practice today,” Gehlken’s post on X reads. “He will work to the side with director of rehabilitation Britt Brown.”
It’s unclear if any of the trio will play this Sunday, but it is clear that Britt Brown and the medical department has plenty to do this week.
McCarthy Drops New ‘Theme’ for 2023 Season
Entering his third season in charge of the Cowboys, McCarthy and Dallas are expecting to make the playoffs and give themselves a shot at a Super Bowl. With the weight of that goal, the Cowboys head coach introduced a new mantra.
Gehlken shared McCarthy’s new “theme” for the 2023 season, as well as the recent speech the one-time Super Bowl winner gave to the Cowboys roster.
“Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said his theme to the 2023 season is ‘carpe omnia.’ Latin for ‘seize everything.’ He presented it to players this morning with a number of components within it. Empty picture frame is in front of team room. ‘It’s all the possibilities’ of future,'” Gehlken’s post explains.
Dallas was able to win their first playoff game under McCarthy in last year’s Wild Card round victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but floundered offensively against the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. It marked the second consecutive year that San Francisco eliminated the Cowboys.
Cowboys Reworked Key Contract
Dallas made a quiet salary cap move on September 5, restructuring the contract of defensive tackle Neville Gallimore. Gallimore has made the 53-man roster for the third consecutive year, but Dallas and the defender have changed the terms of his deal.
“The Cowboys re-worked the contract of DT Neville Gallimore, per source, creating some cap room,” ESPN reporter Todd Archer wrote on X. “His salary went from $2.7m to $1.5m and he can earn back $750k. Since Gallimore played at least 35% of snaps in 2 of his 3 years, he had earned a proven-performance escalator for ‘23.”
Gallimore does not have a flashy role, but it is an important one for Dallas. Having depth and rotational options on the defensive line is critical, and Gallimore will provide that while also having an incentive to make plays every snap he takes with this restructure.