The Dallas Cowboys have been ravaged by injuries this season. Dak Prescott was lost early in the season, and All-Pro guard Zack Martin suffered a season-ending injury weeks later. Micah Parsons missed a month and a half, and Trevon Diggs was in and out of the lineup before being shut down for the year. This is on top of countless role players being injured as well. Another star was added to the list on Thursday. Star receiver CeeDee Lamb will be shut down for the rest of the season due to his shoulder injury.
Dallas Cowboys CeeDee Lamb Done For The Year
This is probably a smart move for the Dallas Cowboys. The team cannot make the playoffs, and there is no need to risk the health of arguably their best player. CeeDee Lamb has been playing with a sprained AC joint since week 9. He has been able to manage the injury, but the team decided it was best to have him rest his shoulder before something more serious happens. The team released a statement about shutting him down.
“Additional examinations and scans this week on CeeDee Lamb’s shoulder have determined that his injury has now progressed to a point that he will be listed as “Out” for the remaining two games of the season. “He will undergo a process of treatment and rehabilitation for his shoulder, is not currently expected to require surgery and is projected to make a full recovery.”
The key part of this statement is they do not believe he needs surgery. This is great news for fans of the Dallas Cowboys. Late-season injuries can be brutal. The player misses the end of the current season and, depending on how severe the injury is, some of next season. Ever since the injuries started piling up, fans have been looking towards next year. This is a move that is looking toward the future.
Outlook For Next Year
The biggest decision looming over this team is what to do about the head coach. Mike McCarthy is in the last year of his deal, and many believe he will not be brought back. However, Jerry Jones revealed that he hadn’t closed the book on the Super Bowl-winning coach being with the Dallas Cowboys. The players certainly haven’t quit. In last Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay, the Cowboys had nothing to play for. They had already been eliminated from the playoffs, and the Buccaneers were fighting for the NFC South crown.
Dallas came out and played hard. They won the game behind an impressive defensive effort, including a wild game-sealing turnover. Usually, when a team has quit on a head coach, the team rolls over and gets crushed. It’s easy to see why there is optimism down the road. Prescott and Lamb are still a formidable duo in the NFL. Parsons has Defensive Player of the Year stats, and every year, he has been healthy. The team will also have an easier schedule next year thanks to their third-place finish in the division. It’s easy to see a path to a bounceback year.
Final Thoughts
This is not great news for fans of the Dallas Cowboys but it is a smart move and one fans can understand. There are always a few teams who seem to get bit hard by the injury bug every year. Dallas is one of them this year. Jones will have his work cut out for him this offseason as he tries to retool this roster and get them back in the playoffs in 2025.
