By Clarence E. Hill Jr.
chill@star-telegram.com
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has a hairline fracture of the tibia in his right knee and could miss up to three weeks, per a source.
The Cowboys are listing Bryant as day-to-day and have not ruled him out for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Bryant did not practice on Wednesday and coach Jason Garrett said the team will evaluate him again Thursday.
“What I have been told is that it’s a day-to-day, week-to-week injury,” Garrett said. “When he comes in tomorrow, we will see how he feels and we will make our evaluations as we go forward.”
Bryant walked through the locker room Wednesday with his knee heavily wrapped. He declined comment to the media, but seemed in good spirits.
The Cowboys remain optimistic because other players have played with type of injury before, some missing no time and others missing just a week or two, according to Garrett.
Bryant was injured on the first drive of Sunday’s 31-17 victory against the Chicago Bears. He missed six plays before returning to the game. He caught a 17-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Bryant played 52 plays in the game, but was not on the field when the Cowboys tried to drain the clock in the fourth quarter.
The biggest question is why it took so long to get a handle on Bryant’s condition. Injured players are normally required to report to the facility the day after the game to be re-evaluated. But Bryant was a no show on Monday and then missed meetings on Tuesday.
That delayed getting an MRI exam to diagnose the injury until Wednesday morning.
“I don’t want to get into the whole medical procedure,” Garrett said when asked about the unusual delay.
Players are subject to fines for missing meetings and treatment sessions. And per a source, Bryant was fined.
Complicating the evaluation of Bryant is a 60 percent forecast for showers in Santa Clara, the site of Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers’ home.
The Cowboys don’t need a repeat of last year’s 4-12 campaign when Bryant suffered a fractured right foot in the season opener and missed the next five games. He returned, but played the next eight games through an assortment of knee and ankle injuries before being shut down for the season’s final two games because of more complications with the fractured foot.
Bryant finished last season with with 31 catches for 401 yards and three touchdowns, all career lows. Through three games this season, Bryant has 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.
Bryant’s injuries, along with quarterback Tony Romo missing 12 games because of collarbone fractures, were major contributors to last season’s collapse.
The difference this year is the Cowboys are confident they can survive and win without Bryant. They have already won more games without Romo than they did a year ago thanks to the emergence of rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, who has led them to a 2-1 mark.
Likewise, the Cowboys believe they are better and deeper at receiver.
Cole Beasley is the team receptions leader with 20 catches for 213 yards. He likely will continue to be Prescott’s go-to receiver.
Brice Butler is expected to fill in for Bryant in the regular offense.
“Dez is Dez. He is a monster,” Butler said. “But I feel like I can produce. I’m a big dude. I’ve got speed. I can catch the ball with my hands. I can get in and out of my routes. I’m ready.”
Butler joined the Cowboys through a trade with Oakland last season after Bryant was injured in the opener against the New York Giants. Butler has spent time learning the position in training camp.
“Yeah, you feel more confident,” Butler said. “Before, I didn’t really know the offense. They are not confident so you are just running certain plays. I played it all training camp and I made a lot of plays. They are not thinking I’m limited. I’m ready.”
Garrett agreed.
“I think he grew as a player and had a very good off-season and did some good things in preseason. So he’s a capable guy, he’s able to stretch the field vertically. We’ve seen that, he’s made some big plays down the field,” Garrett said. “He’s a good route runner. I just think he’s grown as a player with the experience that he’s gotten.”
The Cowboys have also grown as a team. Hope in the locker room was in short supply last year when they had to play without Romo and Bryant. That is not the case now, according to Butler.
“Last year people were like crying almost,” Butler said. “Nobody is batting an eye this year.”
Read more here: Cowboys feel they have the depth to survive Bryant’s knee injury | The Star-Telegram
chill@star-telegram.com
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has a hairline fracture of the tibia in his right knee and could miss up to three weeks, per a source.
The Cowboys are listing Bryant as day-to-day and have not ruled him out for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Bryant did not practice on Wednesday and coach Jason Garrett said the team will evaluate him again Thursday.
“What I have been told is that it’s a day-to-day, week-to-week injury,” Garrett said. “When he comes in tomorrow, we will see how he feels and we will make our evaluations as we go forward.”
Bryant walked through the locker room Wednesday with his knee heavily wrapped. He declined comment to the media, but seemed in good spirits.
The Cowboys remain optimistic because other players have played with type of injury before, some missing no time and others missing just a week or two, according to Garrett.
Bryant was injured on the first drive of Sunday’s 31-17 victory against the Chicago Bears. He missed six plays before returning to the game. He caught a 17-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Bryant played 52 plays in the game, but was not on the field when the Cowboys tried to drain the clock in the fourth quarter.
The biggest question is why it took so long to get a handle on Bryant’s condition. Injured players are normally required to report to the facility the day after the game to be re-evaluated. But Bryant was a no show on Monday and then missed meetings on Tuesday.
That delayed getting an MRI exam to diagnose the injury until Wednesday morning.
“I don’t want to get into the whole medical procedure,” Garrett said when asked about the unusual delay.
Players are subject to fines for missing meetings and treatment sessions. And per a source, Bryant was fined.
Complicating the evaluation of Bryant is a 60 percent forecast for showers in Santa Clara, the site of Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers’ home.
The Cowboys don’t need a repeat of last year’s 4-12 campaign when Bryant suffered a fractured right foot in the season opener and missed the next five games. He returned, but played the next eight games through an assortment of knee and ankle injuries before being shut down for the season’s final two games because of more complications with the fractured foot.
Bryant finished last season with with 31 catches for 401 yards and three touchdowns, all career lows. Through three games this season, Bryant has 11 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown.
Bryant’s injuries, along with quarterback Tony Romo missing 12 games because of collarbone fractures, were major contributors to last season’s collapse.
The difference this year is the Cowboys are confident they can survive and win without Bryant. They have already won more games without Romo than they did a year ago thanks to the emergence of rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, who has led them to a 2-1 mark.
Likewise, the Cowboys believe they are better and deeper at receiver.
Cole Beasley is the team receptions leader with 20 catches for 213 yards. He likely will continue to be Prescott’s go-to receiver.
Brice Butler is expected to fill in for Bryant in the regular offense.
“Dez is Dez. He is a monster,” Butler said. “But I feel like I can produce. I’m a big dude. I’ve got speed. I can catch the ball with my hands. I can get in and out of my routes. I’m ready.”
Butler joined the Cowboys through a trade with Oakland last season after Bryant was injured in the opener against the New York Giants. Butler has spent time learning the position in training camp.
“Yeah, you feel more confident,” Butler said. “Before, I didn’t really know the offense. They are not confident so you are just running certain plays. I played it all training camp and I made a lot of plays. They are not thinking I’m limited. I’m ready.”
Garrett agreed.
“I think he grew as a player and had a very good off-season and did some good things in preseason. So he’s a capable guy, he’s able to stretch the field vertically. We’ve seen that, he’s made some big plays down the field,” Garrett said. “He’s a good route runner. I just think he’s grown as a player with the experience that he’s gotten.”
The Cowboys have also grown as a team. Hope in the locker room was in short supply last year when they had to play without Romo and Bryant. That is not the case now, according to Butler.
“Last year people were like crying almost,” Butler said. “Nobody is batting an eye this year.”
Read more here: Cowboys feel they have the depth to survive Bryant’s knee injury | The Star-Telegram
