Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Jerry Jones, Cowboys make sensible call on star linebacker

By Tommy Fradenburg | Last updated 11/14/23

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was the bearer of bad news Tuesday.

As relayed on "X by Cowboys beat writer Jon Machota of The Athletic, Jones revealed on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan that linebacker Leighton Vander Esch won't play again in 2023. He was eligible to return from the neck injury that landed him on injured reserve after Week 5.

"It's a very significant loss for us," Jones said.

#Cowboys' LB Leighton Vander Esch is out for the season due to a neck injury, Jerry Jones told @1053SS and @rjchoppy this morning on 105.3 The Fanhttps://t.co/BoJqzApXiE
— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) November 14, 2023

"We just wish him well, and just the nature of his potential injury here causes me to really think longer term and beyond what it means for next week or beyond what it means for next month. It has everything to do with what's best in his interest," Jones said, per ESPN Cowboys beat writer Todd Archer.

Jones didn't comment when asked if the injury was career-ending for Vander Esch, but his history of neck injuries is cause for concern.

The 27-year-old entered the NFL with concerns about his neck before Dallas drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After a Pro Bowl rookie season, Vander Esch missed seven games with another neck issue in 2019. He had surgery on it during the offseason, but he dealt with another neck injury in 2021.

Dallas' defense will miss Vander Esch from a production and leadership standpoint, but the way Jones and the Cowboys are handling the injury is encouraging.

Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch is out for the season due to the neck injury that he suffered on this play.

pic.twitter.com/H03wBkDus0
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) November 14, 2023

For a league that's been maligned for athletes playing through injuries, it is a positive step for a Super Bowl contender to shut down one of its best players.

Of course, it helps that Dallas' defense is a dominant group. Since losing 42-10 to San Francisco in Week 5, the Cowboys have allowed more than 20 points once while going 3-1. In those four games, they have three interceptions (including a pick-six) and 11 sacks.

But with games looming against Philadelphia, Buffalo, Miami and Detroit, one of the league's best defenses has stiff challenges. Earlier this season, Dallas lost star cornerback Trevon Diggs (ACL tear) for the season.

Sometimes hyper-competitive players need protection from themselves. In this case, Dallas seems to be making the right call.

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