Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy reacts after a big play.
Despite a 5-2 start to the season, the Dallas Cowboys have been forced to make a handful of roster shakeups in the past few days.
Most notably, the addition of former Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins in a trade has made headlines. But the team also suffered a key injury with cornerback Jourdan Lewis suffering a season-ending lisfranc fracture against the Detroit Lions last Sunday.
Kendall Sheffield was signed to the practice squad as Lewis’ replacement, but the team also welcomed the promotion of rookie Damone Clark to the 53-man roster. The Cowboys made the moves official on October 26.
“The @dallascowboys made the following transactions on Wednesday: Activated from Reserve/NFI: – LB Damone Clark Reserve/Injured: – CB Jourdan Lewis – G Matt Farniok Signed to practice squad: – DB Kendall Sheffield,” Dallas’ official PR Twitter account posted on Wednesday.
Clark has been recovering from a spinal issue that was discovered earlier in the spring. According to the Cowboys’ website, Dallas was the team to notice the injury which lead to Clark getting surgery.
Now, after 7 months of recovery, Clark is finally on the 53-man roster and could be a factor for the Cowboys sooner rather than later.
Clark Impressed at LSU
Lousiana State University puts out NFL prospects like few schools in the college game can, and Clark is just the latest product of the Tigers. Clark was a part of the 2019 National Championship team, but his best season came in 2021.
According to Sports Reference, Clark had racked up eight tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks over 23 games in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He also totaled 113 combined tackles, and hadn’t caught a reception.
Clark bested his career college numbers in a single season in 2021. The former LSU Tiger registered 135 combined tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last fall, and brought down his first interception to boot.
Clark made a very obvious step up, but the spinal issue hurt his draft stock. The Cowboys still believed in his ability, though, and made sure to draft Clark when he was still available in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Cowboys Speak on Clark’s Recovery
In the official article on Clark’s activation, it mentions that his former teammate, Jabril Cox, has found it difficult to get reps with the likes of Micah Parsons, Anthony Barr and Leighton Vander Esch running the show.
Clark may experience a similar outcome over the next few weeks, but it’s clear Dallas is still high on him. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered glowing words about Clark recently, while also showing love for his team’s medical staff.
“Give our medical staff credit … [Clark] has exceeded all expectations,” Jones said. “[He’s] a guy we’re really excited about and I do think he’ll be playing for us this year. In terms of his role and how much? That’ll evolve. … Boy, we’re fired up about what he brings to the table.”
Clark’s 2021 season is certainly evidence that he can make a major impact, but it will now be a matter of how and when he gets his opportunities in the linebacker group.