Dallas Cowboys front-office officials are in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine to check out the top prospects hoping to come off the board in April’s Draft. Before they begin making their picks, the team will need to know the status of linebacker Leighton Vander Esch.
Vander Esch went on Injured Reserve after Week 5 due to a neck injury and never made it back to the active roster. There was concern at the time that the former first-rounder would miss not only the rest of the season due to injury, but also potentially end his career in the NFL.
On Tuesday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones provided very little in terms of a concrete update on the “Wolf Hunter.” After revealing that linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Trevon Diggs could be back to full-go by training camp, Jones said that it will be up to Vander Esch to share the latest with his health. Unfortunately, it sounds like the veteran linebacker is weighing a potential retirement before his seventh season.
“We’ll let Leighton speak to that,” Jones said. “It’s an injury issue that he’s getting his hands around. He’ll speak to that.”
Through the first five games of the 2023 season prior to injury, Vander Esch tallied 30 tackles, including 17 solo stops. He has also recovered one fumble. He is not among the team’s upcoming free agents and still has another year left on his two-year, $8 million contract.
Vander Esch misses bulk of 2023 season with neck injury
Injuries to the neck area have been an ongoing concern for Vander Esch since the 2019 season when he missed seven games. He also missed time last year because of a neck injury. A former first-round selection out of Boise State, the 2023 season was his sixth with Dallas.
In the offseason, the Cowboys inked Vander Esch to a two-year deal worth $8 million with $5 million guaranteed and a $2.5 million signing bonus. That contract agreement came in March after spending the 2022 campaign on a one-year deal.
After the starting middle linebacker’s injury, Markquese Bell and Damone Clark stepped up to the plate. Bell had 94 tackles this season, including three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Clark ended up leading the team in tackles with a career-high of 109 with four tackles for loss. The Cowboys drafted him in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of LSU.
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