Cowboys place RB Deuce Vaughn on injured reserve with ankle injury

The Cowboys placed rookie running back Deuce Vaughn on injured reserve, Wednesday, meaning he won’t be available for Dallas’ playoff run.

Vaughn, the Cowboys sixth-round pick from Kansas State, has an ankle injury, the team said.

Meanwhile, Dallas activated another rookie — defensive lineman Viliami “Junior” Fehoko — to the team’s 53-man roster. Fehoko had been on IR since Nov. 18. Dallas needed to make a decision by Wednesday since his 21-day practice window was set to expire. Fehoko hasn’t played this season. He was a fourth-round pick last April.

Vaughn, a crowd favorite who played his high school football outside Austin, Tx, appeared in seven games this season. He rushed for two yards and caught one pass against the Lions last Saturday.

Vaughn, after not seeing action since November, played against the Lions because of Rico Dowdle‘s ankle injury. However, Dowdle was back at practice Wednesday at The Star in Frisco. He’s the Cowboys second-team running back behind Tony Pollard. Whether he plays in the regular season finale against the Commanders remains to be seen.

It’s an ankle injury for Vaughn. And also a sign Rico Dowdle should be OK this week. And, yes, will ask if Dalvin Cook is a possibility. https://t.co/7vYCbiteUv

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) January 3, 2024

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy talks about Dalvin Cook

There’s all sorts of buzz that suggests the Cowboys may be looking at Dalvin Cook. The Jets released him this week. Cook, the former Florida State standout, was a star with the Vikings. But that never translated in NYC, with Breece Hall taking over at tailback. The Jets had planned on a potential playoff season. That all changed when Aaron Rodgers ruptured his Achilles four plays into the season opener. NYC agreed to let Cook go so that the running back could land with a playoff team.

Reporters asked Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy about Cook before Wednesday’s practice. McCarthy complimented Cook, but didn’t confirm anything.

“Those are questions you are always visiting with and so forth,” McCarthy told reporters. “Obviously, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, played a number of games against (him) when Dalvin was in Minnesota. I have great respect for him.”