2 Potential Cowboys Starters Placed on Injured List: ‘Scary Proposition’

Getty Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis.

The Dallas Cowboys are beginning training camp without two key players because rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker and veteran Jourdan Lewis were placed on two separate injured lists, the team announced July 25.

Schoonmaker is on the non-football injury list dealing with a plantar fascia issue, while Lewis is on the physically unable to perform list recovering from a Lisfranc foot injury that ended his 2022 campaign in October.

Both players’ statuses put them in doubt for the start of the season. Even if Schoonmaker is able to suit up at some point during the preseason, he is already losing important reps as he adjusts to NFL life.

Jake Ferguson Remains the Favorite to Be the Cowboys Starting Tight End

The Cowboys were expected to have a competition to find the team’s new starting tight end following the departure of Dalton Schultz to the Houston Texans this offseason. With the 58th overall pick in the draft, Dallas selected Schoonmaker in the second round, pointing to an expectation that he could emerge as a potential starter.

Yet, the smart money is on Jake Ferguson to begin the season as the starter, given that Schoonmaker’s injury also led to his missing some of the team’s offseason practices. Depending on the severity of Schoonmaker’s injury, Sean McKeon could have an easier path to making the final roster. USA Today’s K.D. Drummond labeled Schoonmaker’s being placed on the injured list as a “scary proposition.”

“Not going to lie, Schoonmaker starting camp on the NFI list for plantar fascia is a scary proposition,” Drummond wrote on July 26. “As we learn more over the next week, maybe we lean a different direction with the rest of the group.

“It’s tough to cut McKeon, but it’s tougher to imagine the Cowboys spending the draft pedigree they did on Schoonmaker while convincing themselves they need a veteran fourth TE on the roster.”

Cowboys Rumors: Jourdan Lewis’ Days in Big D May Be Numbered

Lewis was a starting cornerback for the Cowboys over the past three years, but DaRon Bland emerged as a revelation during the veteran’s absence last season. Lewis, who turns 29 in August, is heading into the final season of a three-year, $13.5 million contract and is slated to have a $4.5 million salary in 2023.

Dallas could clear an estimated $4.7 million in cap space by releasing him but would still take a $1.1 dead cap hit with the move, per Spotrac. USA Today’s Reid Hanson wrote that the intriguing young Cowboys corners combined with Lewis’ injury could mean his days in Dallas are numbered.

“Lewis’ time on the PUP list could even extend into the regular season to bide the Cowboys time,” Hanson wrote on July 25. “They saw firsthand how quickly depth can evaporate at CB and may want to have an ace up their sleeve like Lewis in the background in case of emergency. A PUP designation into the regular season guarantees his salary, though.

“How this all plays out is anyone’s guess but there is a very real possibility Lewis never plays a snap again for the Cowboys.”