Cowboys to move linebacker Leighton Vander Esch to injured reserve

As expected, the Dallas Cowboys are moving starting linebacker Leighton Vander Esch to Injured Reserve on Thursday, according to head coach Mike McCarthy. The veteran suffered a neck injury in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers and an MRI revealed he would need time off to recover.

Through the first five games of the season, Vander Esch has tallied 30 tackles, including 17 solo stops. He has also recovered one fumble. The linebacker left Sunday’s game with 10 tackles, including one for loss. Niners offensive lineman Trent Williams drove the linebacker into Cowboys teammate Micah Parsons. It was a move called a “slingshot” that Dallas reportedly addressed with the NFL prior to the game.

Vander Esch, a former first-round selection out of Boise State, is in his sixth season with Dallas. He missed three games for the Cowboys last season because of neck trouble. He also did not play in seven contests during the 2019 campaign because of a similar issue.

With the linebacker headed to the injured reserve list, it will cost him significant time. He’ll have to sit out until at least Week 10, with the league requiring all IR players to miss four weeks. In that span, the Cowboys play the Chargers, Rams, Eagles and Giants.

In the offseason, the Cowboys inked Vander Esch to a two-year deal worth $11 million. That contract agreement came in March after spending the 2022 campaign on a one-year deal. He finished 2022 with 90 tackles in the regular season. He also had a sack and six tackles for loss, as well as 20 stops in the playoffs.

Cowboys’ C.J. Goodwin done for season with pectoral injury

Dallas Cowboys cornerback CJ Goodwin tore his pectoral muscle in the team’s loss to the 49ers on Sunday. The injury means the special teams ace will have to sit out the rest of the 2023 season. Goodwin signed a brand new deal with Dallas for one year during the offseason.

So far this year, the former California Vulcan has four tackles for the Cowboys, including one from Sunday night’s game.

Goodwin played the 2021 and 2022 seasons on a two-year, $3.5 million deal. He was the team’s special teams tackles leader in 2020 and 2021 and followed it up with an eight-tackle season in 2022.

Goodwin, a West Virginia native, played his college football at three different schools before joining the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2014. His first deal with the Steelers was for three years and $1.53 million but they ultimately waved him.

The Cowboys special teamer is in his eighth season in the NFL. He’s had stints with Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Arizona, New York, Cincinnati and San Francisco. However, his tenure in Dallas has been the longest. Goodwin started his Cowboys career playing in three games in 2018 but became a staple in 2019.

On3’s Dustin Schutte contributed to this report.