Cowboys LB Sean Lee out until mid-October after hernia surgery

Jane Slater of NFL Network reported on Wednesday that Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee is expected to miss six weeks and is pursuing a mid-October return to action after undergoing hernia surgery last week.

Lee, who entered the league via the 2010 NFL Draft, has battled numerous physical setbacks throughout his career and began the 2020 campaign on injured reserve. The 34-year-old appeared in all 16 regular-season games for the first time in 2019. 

On Sept. 5, Todd Archer of ESPN explained that Lee played through a similar injury late last year but was unable to participate in training camp sessions this summer. 

Along with Lee, Dallas is also without fellow Pro Bowl linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. As noted by Grant Gordon of NFL.com, Vander Esch suffered a broken collarbone during Sunday night's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He missed seven games in 2019 due to a season-ending neck injury. 

Archer added that Vander Esch required surgery to repair his collarbone and is likely to miss at least six to eight weeks.