Cowboys likely to send LB Leighton Vander Esch to IR with neck injury, lose C.J. Goodwin for season

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

The Cowboys will likely send Vander Esch to injured reserve in the coming days after he sustained a neck injury in their blowout 42-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. The Cowboys' defense also lost cornerback C.J. Goodwin for the rest of the season after he tore a pectoral muscle in the loss, according to The Dallas Morning News.

The injury marks the latest significant one that the Cowboys' defense has faced already this fall. Star cornerback Trevon Diggs tore his left ACL in practice last month.

Vander Esch went down in the second half of the loss at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Sunday night after he was blocked into teammate Micah Parsons. Vander Esch’s head went directly into Parson’s side, and he remained down on the field for some time. He eventually walked off the field under his own power, but was ruled out of the game.

Vander Esch underwent X-rays at the stadium, according to The Dallas Morning News, and those came back negative. He was set for further testing on Monday.

Vander Esch has a history of neck injuries dating back to his college career at Boise State, and he was born with a cervical spine condition that leads to increased pinched nerves and possibly bulging or herniated discs, per The Dallas Morning News. He underwent neck surgery during the 2020 season, and missed time last year due to a brief neck injury, too.

Vander Esch has 30 total tackles and one fumble returned for a touchdown this season, his sixth with the Cowboys. He had 10 total tackles Sunday night. The 27-year-old signed a new two-year, $8 million deal with the team this past offseason.

It’s unclear how severe Vander Esch’s neck injury is, or how long he will be on injured reserve, which mandates a minimum four-game absence. The team is discussing adding a veteran linebacker to help replace him, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken.

Goodwin injured what appeared to be a shoulder after making a big hit on a punt, and was ruled out during the third quarter after trying to play through the injury. He is now expected to miss the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Goodwin, 33, is in his sixth season with the Cowboys and is a longtime staple on their special teams. He’s on a one-year, $1.1 million deal.

Cowboys kick returner KaVontae Turpin also went down with what is believed to be a high-ankle sprain in the loss, per the report. It’s unclear how long he will be sidelined, though that type of ankle sprain usually leads to at least a four-week absence. Turpin caught a 26-yard touchdown pass against the 49ers, which marked both his first career receiving touchdown and Dallas’ only touchdown of the night. The 27-year-old is in his second year with the Cowboys.

Dallas is now 3-2 and will take on the Los Angeles Chargers next Monday at SoFi Stadium.