Dallas Cowboys in danger of losing key defender vs Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys might be without the services of linebacker Keanu Neal for their Monday night match-up against the Philadelphia Eagles. Neal will be added to the Cowboys reserve/COVID-19 list as of Sept, 22.

The Cowboys were looking forward to getting one step closer to having the defense at full strength. Defensive end Randy Gregory was recently cleared to play this week. But it looks like Neal and Gregory could be swapping places this week.

Chances Neal plays in Week 3

Due to the league’s rules pertaining to COVID-19, Neal will have to be away from the team for at least five consecutive days, because he is believed to have been in close contact with someone infected with the virus and not infected himself. It’s just a five-day turnaround. However, according to David J Chao of Pro Football Doc, he will need to test negative in each of the five days he is away from the team.

Neal is very fortunate that the game is on Monday and not Sunday. If it had been a standard NFL Sunday game, he would have been ruled out automatically. But with a Monday night kickoff, he has a possibility of having five straight negative tests starting Thursday.

Clarification. High risk close contact.
Out 5 days. If game were Sunday, would be out. With Monday game, if 5 straight days negative, can play. But no practice or in person meetings. https://t.co/9XRyG3iUcy

— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) September 22, 2021

As stated before the Cowboys are not at full strength on the defense. Even though they’re getting Gregory back they are still without star defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. Dallas added starting defensive end Lawrence to their injured reserve list last week. He suffered a significant foot injury in the Cowboys’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week one. Lawrence underwent successful foot surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot and is expected to be out six to eight weeks.

Cowboys are prepared for the worse

Neal has been a key rotational piece in the Cowboys linebacking core. He’s played in all but one snap for Dallas in their first two games of the season; appearing in 50 of the 51 defensive snaps. So far in the season, he has nine total tackles and six of them are solo. If he is unable to play on Monday night the Cowboys do have two other solid options. They can move last year’s starter, Leighton Vander Esch into the lineup, or they can go with rookie Jabril Cox out of LSU who impressed Cowboy coaches in the preseason.

The Dallas Cowboys would love to have Neal with them as they take on their bitter rival in a Monday night showdown. But as of now they will hope for the best and prepare for a game without their linebacker.