Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson's game status is trending in one direction ahead of Saints matchup
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson will work with the "return to play" group on the first practice of the week, said head coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday."He looks good," McCarthy said via Patrik Walker from DallasCowboys.com. "He's very optimistic."The Cowboys have an additional rehab group and Ferguson working with the "return to play" group […]
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson will work with the "return to play" group on the first practice of the week, said head coach Mike McCarthy on Wednesday.
"He looks good," McCarthy said via Patrik Walker from DallasCowboys.com. "He's very optimistic."
The Cowboys have an additional rehab group and Ferguson working with the "return to play" group means he has a chance to play in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints. That being said, it means he'll show up as a non-participant in practice on the team's initial injury report.
Ferguson suffered a knee injury against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 that looked serious, but further testing revealed he had sprained his MCL while his ACL got away from the awkward hit intact. As quarterback Dak Prescott put it, the Cowboys "dodged a big one" with their tight end's injury.
However, the team is still playing it safe with their latest practice decision and there's one big reason why it makes sense: They can't risk a more serious injury to Ferguson.
Although the team is showing optimism, the tight end is trending toward being inactive. Even if playing is a possibility, caution might be the wisest path to take considering how important he is for the team.
"No one wants to risk Jake Ferguson and his career," said former NFL team doctor and injury analyst David J. Chao, who doesn't believe the tight end will play. "You've got to let that recover and heal, not only because of the MCL sprain (…) but also because of the bone bruise, you can't make this worse."
If Ferguson can't go, Dak Prescott's play-making weapons will take a big hit as the tight end has become one of his favorite targets upon becoming the starter last year. Meanwhile, Luke Schoonmaker has been inconsistent as a catcher and the Cowboys lack experience beyond with John Stephens Jr. and Brevyn Spann-Ford combining for one regular season game played.
The Cowboys' ace under their sleeve might just be fullback Hunter Luepke, who the coaching staff expects to contribute at tight end after cross-training him during the offseason and training camp.
Cowboys Initial Injury Report
Ferguson was joined by fellow tight end John Stephens Jr. and DE Marshawn Kneeland as the three non-participants in practice. C.J. Goodwin was limited with a foot injury and the Cowboys gave multiple veterans rest days.
As for the Saints, nine players were either limited or non-participants, including cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Tyrann Mathieu. On offense, left tackle Taliese Fuaga was limited with a back injury, which could contribute to a potential mismatch against the Cowboys' pass rush.
