JAKE FERGUSON
9:30 pm – Prescott commented, “I believe we’ve narrowly escaped a major issue. He’s definitely going to need X-rays tomorrow, but from our conversation, I feel reassured that he’ll be alright. He should be able to bounce back. Whether it’s a minor issue or a few weeks of recovery, it’s hard to imagine what we’d be missing without him.
“His mentality and what he contributes to the game have been crucial to our growth and connection. We’ll manage, and he’ll be just fine.”
JOHN STEPHENS JR
John Stephens Jr. will have to postpone his NFL regular season debut. The promising young tight end, who is recovering from a torn ACL sustained during the 2023 training camp and showed great form in this year’s Oxnard sessions, has missed all practices leading up to the game against the Cleveland Browns due to a hamstring injury.
Although Stephens is the only player officially ruled out by the Cowboys for Sunday’s game, he isn’t the only one who will be inactive at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Ryan Flournoy’s rookie debut will also be put on hold, with the other inactive players for Dallas being Trey Lance (emergency QB), Buddy Johnson, Matt Waletzko, and Andrew Booth.
Despite a strong preseason showing by Flournoy, the Cowboys have chosen to focus on other positions in Cleveland due to their depth at his position.
CEEDEE LAMB
As anticipated, CeeDee Lamb has now officially joined the 53-man roster. After ending his holdout and signing his contract, Lamb was initially placed on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List to allow him time to get back into football shape.
The Cowboys had not filled his roster spot during this period, so no additional roster adjustments are necessary at this time.
Additionally, linebacker Nick Vigil has been promoted from the practice squad for this game.
EZIEKEL ELLIOTT
There’s been a lot of discussion around sports analysts’ circles surrounding the Dallas Cowboys’ decision to operate as a running back by committee in 2024, and rehiring Ezekiel Elliott to help lead the charge.
The former two-time NFL rushing champ is, needless to say, thrilled to be reunited with the Cowboys and spoke to that fact again on Thursday — noting he’s “just happy to have the Star back on his helmet” and in how he will do whatever the team needs him to do.
On Friday, owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke on the coming role for Elliott.
“I have a higher picture of what Elliott can bring to the table.” said Jones to 105.3 The Fan. “I think what he did in New England was a higher caliber of performance than he’s given credit for. … I’m excited about having Ezekiel Elliott. I think we had a wonderful opportunity.”
CAELEN CARSON
On Thursday, the Cowboys added a new name to their injury report—rookie cornerback Caelen Carson, who is expected to play a significant role in Sunday’s game. The concern is that a knee injury could impact his availability against the Browns.
Despite the injury, Carson was listed as a full participant in practice. He expressed his excitement about making his NFL debut when he spoke with reporters after Thursday’s session.
The Cowboys are already dealing with a cornerback shortage due to DaRon Bland’s foot injury, which will sideline him for at least the first four games. This situation is creating an opportunity for Carson to start on Sunday.