To say the Dallas Cowboys have been snake-bitten on the injury front would be a huge understatement. Not only is Micah Parsons out this week with a high-ankle sprain, but three starters are on injured reserve: DeMarcus Lawrence, DaRon Bland and Brandin Cooks.
There's only so many injury blows a team can withstand before its season begins to spiral out of control. Down two star edge rushers and an All-Pro cornerback, the Cowboys cannot afford any more injuries on the defensive side of the ball.
The defensive line in particular has been decimated and it suffered another blow in the first quarter Sunday night when rookie DE Marshawn Kneeland left with an apparent knee injury. The game went into a commercial break while Kneeland received treatment on the field.
Kneeland needed assistance getting off the field and was carted to the locker room. The Cowboys say he is questionable to return.
Cowboys rookie DE Marshawn Kneeland suffers knee injury vs. Steelers
Kneeland is headed back to the locker room for an X-Ray. The fact he wasn't ruled out right after coming off the field is an encouraging sign, but it looked like a non-contact injury based on the replay and Kneeland wasn't able to put any pressure on his right leg.
UPDATE: Kneeland has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Already down Parsons and Lawrence on the defensive line, losing Kneeland for any period of time would be catastrophic. The second-round pick out of Western Michigan pick has impressed early in his career, particularly as a run defender.
Entering Week 5, Kneeland had played the second-most snaps of Dallas' defensive ends behind Lawrence. He's accumulated eight tackles, six pressures, four defensive stops, four quarterback hits, per Pro Football Focus.
Those aren't crazy numbers by any stretch of the imagination, but they are impressive for a rookie and Kneeland's status as a plus run defender means his impact goes beyond the box score.
We can only hope that Kneeland avoided a serious injury. Scraping the barrel at defensive end, the Cowboys are now down to Chauncey Golston, Tyrus Wheat and Carl Lawson. K.J. Henry, whom Dallas signed off the Bengals' practice squad amid their injury crisis, is a healthy scratch tonight.
With Kneeland now officially out for the game, the Cowboys are down their top four edge rushers: Parsons, Lawrence, Sam Williams, who tore his ACL in training camp, and Kneeland. It is unfathomable.
