After a season riddled with injuries, the Cowboys have a little more hope going into the Commanders game on Sunday, November 22, 2024. Based on the injury report on the official Dallas Cowboys website, there are a few difference makers with the opportunity to hit the field. Maybe it’ll be just enough to give the Cowboys their first win since Week 5.
Cowboys Injuries: Three Players Possibly Heading onto the Field Against Commanders
EDGE – Marshawn Kneeland
Cowboys 2nd round pick of 2024 went down with an injury early into his first opportunity to prove himself. During their last win this season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Marshawn Kneeland went down with a knee injury. Because of the injuries of Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence earlier in the season, the injury seemed to be a tad overwhelming. What originally looked like an opportunity for Kneeland to prove himself ended up scuffing his chances. With the additional injury of Sam Williams over the summer, it meant the Cowboys were down four EDGE rushers early into their season.
Now, though, there’s an opportunity for Kneeland to return to the field. While Carl Lawson has actually played very well, it’ll be nice to see how this rookie creates a presence on the field. With DeMarcus Lawrence, the thriving run defender, still out, Kneeland can now show he has the capability to play at close to the same level. These final couple of games give him plenty of time to do so.
WR – Brandin Cooks
After a great touchdown pass back in Week 1, Brandin Cooks was silent before developing a knee infection that has sat him out for nearly seven weeks. Cooks provided the necessary depth for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense. The remaining Cowboys wide receivers have been underwhelming and young, even with the addition of Jonathan Mingo. Having some depth and seniority return to the field will be well worth it.
The timing of it couldn’t be more perfect. Even the wide receiver room has been ridden with a few Cowboys injuries. CeeDee Lamb suffered an injury in the Cowboys game vs. the Eagles a few weeks back. The injury struggles to clear up, causing him to be a limited participant on Wednesday and not practice at all on Thursday. Although, he was a full participant on Friday according to Fox Sports.
Cooks is also listed as questionable, according to Fox, but could be a necessary addition. Not to menti, on now is the best time for Cooks to shine. This could be a tryout game for Cooks. His contract is up after this season, which allows him to show what he has left in the tank if he still plans on playing in the NFL.
CB – DaRon Bland
Although there was a false call a few weeks ago, this one is the real deal. Several players have popped up on and off the Cowboys injuries list, but it’s finally his turn. DaRon Bland has had three full participant practices this week. This shows how he is trending in the right direction. It’s likely that the sensational corner from last year will finally grace the field in 2024 before the season ends. Similar to Cooks, Bland has another injured player in his room at, Jourdan Lewis. If Lewis is unable to play or is playing at 50%, then it’ll be great to have Bland step up and dominate.
This is exciting for Bland. His contract is coming to a close, and he’ll use these remaining weeks to prove his worth to his coaches and managers. Obviously, the injury is going to be a determining factor for his value. But the Cowboys can’t deny that Bland’s participation last year was key for their overall success last season. The hope is that he’s able to spark some of that same magic in the couple of games the Cowboys have left this year.
Cowboys Injuries Coming to an End
As each game ticks pass, there’s more hope of players returning. As some of the Cowboys face difficulty getting back into the game, as Bland has countless times, a few are likely to get on the field. Although the Cowboys injuries have plagued the team so far, hopefully, this will be the last of them this season. With Cooper Rush as the starting QB, he’s going to need all the help he can get to try to try and pull out a win for this team.
Main Image: Andrew Dieb – USA Today Sports
