Dallas Cowboys make several roster moves ahead of Monday Night showdown vs Chargers

The Dallas Cowboys executed several roster moves on Monday ahead of their primetime matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers at 8:15 p.m. ET. For starters, the team officially moved linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) and cornerback C.J. Goodwin (pectoral tear) to injured reserve following their respective injuries last week against the 49ers.

In corresponding moves, Dallas signed cornerback Nahshon Wright to the 53-man roster after starting his 21-day practice window last week. Linebacker Tyrus Wheat, running back Malik Davis and linebacker Malik Jefferson also moved to the 53-man active roster for the game against the Chargers.

Wright and Jefferson are coming off of injuries, a high-ankle sprain and a plantar fascia injury, respectively. Wheat and Davis signed with the practice squad following the Cowboys’ 53-man roster cut at the beginning of the season.

Cowboys injury list shrinks for Monday night

The Cowboys need a big bounce back after their dreadful showing against the 49ers last Sunday. And when they hit the West Coast for the MNF game with the Chargers, they’ll be relatively healthy. Though the injury report started out with over a dozen names on it on Wednesday, the team managed to whittle it down to just a few by Saturday.

On Saturday’s report, defensive back Juanyeh Thomas, a backup safety, was the only player listed as doubtful for the game against the Chargers.

“I think our health has trended in the right direction,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters in a Saturday teleconference. “I don’t have high concern for many of these guys.”

Offensive lineman Chuma Edoga, who is sick with an unspecified illness, is questionable for the Week 6 game. However, McCarthy said the backup lineman is expected to be back by Sunday.

Hendershot moved to IR

Tight end Peyton Hendershot also joined Vander Esch and Goodwin on IR this week. It means he’ll miss at least the next four weeks on top of the two weeks he’s already sat out with his ankle injury.

In a corresponding move, Dallas signed tight end Sean McKeon to the active roster from the practice squad. McKeon was the odd man out of the Four Horsemen when the 53-man roster deadline hit at the start of the season, but now he has a chance to contribute alongside Jake Ferguson and second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker.

Prior to his injury, Hendershot was the No. 2 tight end on the depth chart behind Ferguson. He had one reception for three yards, which came in the Week 3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Besides Ferguson, Dallas’ tight ends haven’t contributed much positive yardage. The starter has 175 yards and a touchdown on 25 receptions while his backups have had just two catches for four yards, although one catch was also a touchdown for Schoonmaker.