Dallas Cowboys veteran LB Leighton Vander Esch will likely be out for an extended period of time due to a neck injury. Head coach Mike McCarthy said the linebacker could potentially go on injured reserve (IR).
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What Happened to Leighton Vander Esch?
Per Mike McCarthy both C.J. Goodwin and Leighton Vender Esch will potentially go on IR.
No specifics on LVE’s injury other than he’s dealing with a neck injury. No other discussions have been had on who would take over his role with the green dot on his helmet yet.
— Jess Nevarez (@JessNevarez_) October 9, 2023
If this is the case, the linebacker would be out for at least four weeks before he could be elevated and reactivated to the 53-man roster.
The Dallas Morning News reported that Vander Esch is dealing with a neck strain and will miss four to six weeks. This means his earliest return would come in Week 9 against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirms ESPN report that Leighton Vander Esch has a neck strain and will miss 4-6 weeks. @dmn_cowboys
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) October 10, 2023
Vander Esch collided with LB/EDGE Micah Parsons during Sunday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. LVE immediately left the field and went to the locker room for further evaluation.
MORE: Micah Parsons — ‘The Score Doesn’t Really Show What Happened Out There’
Reports stated that he immediately underwent X-rays, which came back negative, and an MRI was done on Monday.
The linebacker has a history of neck injuries going back to his time at Boise State University. There, Vander Esch missed seven games in 2016 with a pinched nerve in his neck.
With the Cowboys, he missed seven games in 2019 for neck surgery and three games last season with a neck stinger. Because of his history, Vander Esch wears a neck brace when playing to act as a stabilizer and protect his neck from further injury.
His absence leaves the linebacker room stretched thin during a vital part of their season and at a time when the Cowboys are looking for redemption after Sunday night’s tough loss to the 49ers.
Who Will Wear the Green Dot?
The first concern to be addressed is who will wear the helmet communicator and make the defensive play calls in Vander Esch’s absence. The six-year veteran diagnoses the opposing team’s play calls and orders the team around him to line up accordingly.
LVE is a locker-room leader who has taken time to help the young guys around him, including fellow linebacker Damone Clark. The two bonded while Clark was rehabbing from his spinal fusion surgery. Vander Esch gave him advice along the way, taking a big brother-type role, similar to what former Cowboys LB Sean Lee did for him as a young player.
Because of this, Clark could be someone defensive coordinator Dan Quinn trusts to take the green dot in Vander Esch’s absence.
Dallas’ Lack of Linebacker Depth
Another concern is the Cowboys’ need for more depth in the LB room and how the team will work around his absence.
Vander Esch is second on the team for combined total tackles with 30, just behind Clark, who has 31.
Quinn said it would require a collective effort to mitigate the linebacker room without Vander Esch. He mentioned Clark and Parsons as solutions, meaning the latter could act as an edge rusher and linebacker.
The Cowboys currently have Malik Jefferson on the practice squad, who could be elevated to the 53-man roster as another option.
Still, Dallas could shop around and get more depth outside the building if they found a salary cap-friendly deal. Regardless, the team is stretched thin and will need to find a solution sooner rather than later.