DeMarcus Lawrence's lengthy road to recovery has officially begun.
The Cowboys' star defensive end underwent surgery Thursday on his fractured foot and will miss "significant time," coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. Lawrence suffered the break during a 1-on-1 pass rush drill in practice Wednesday.
Last week, the two-time Pro Bowler had a strong 2021 debut versus the Buccaneers, recording five tackles and a forced fumble. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Lawrence could return in November, providing that his rehab goes well. This best-case scenario still puts a great burden on the rest of the Dallas defense.
"Obviously, losing DeMarcus, I mean he's a prime-time player for us," McCarthy said. "I thought he had a nice start in Tampa. You hate to see these injuries to any of your guys, but what it does is it just gives opportunities to the other players."
Which ones will maximize them remains to be seen. With Randy Gregory currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list, veteran Tarell Basham heads an otherwise inexperienced group of reserves, which includes Dorance Armstrong, Chauncey Golston and Bradlee Anae.
