This Date In Transactions History: Cowboys’ Darren McFadden Retires From NFL
Four years ago today, Darren McFadden announced his retirement from the NFL. He was still just 30 years old, but McFadden felt that his best days were behind him. 
[RELATED: Cowboys Place Steele On Reserve/COVID-19 List]
“Today, I am announcing that I am retiring from the NFL. I have been extremely privileged to play in the league for a long time,” McFadden wrote in a statement. “And now that time for me is done.”
McFadden was limited to just one game and one carry (for negative two yards) in 2017. And, even in the wake of Ezekiel Elliott‘s suspension, he wasn’t healthy enough to take on the workload. Instead, it was Alfred Morris who jumped to the top of the depth chart, with support from RB2 Rod Smith.
This was a familiar refrain for McFadden, who couldn’t stay healthy after being drafted No. 4 overall by the Raiders in 2008. His best Oakland season came in 2010 when he ran for 1,157 yards plus 507 yards receiving. Unfortunately, out of seven seasons with the Raiders, he was only able to turn in one 16-game slate.
McFadden went on to have a late career re-emergence with Dallas, eclipsing 1,000 yards in 2015. Then, he lost most of 2016 and basically all of ’17 to injury.
The ex-Razorback’s blend of size and speed (6’1″; 4.33-second 40-yard-dash at the combine) never translated into superstardom, but he did manage a ten-year run — more than most get in the NFL. He also left the game with a pair of 1,000-yard seasons to his credit and nearly $50MM in lifetime NFL earnings.
Cowboys Place OT Terence Steele On Reserve/COVID-19 List
The Cowboys are dealing with a bit of a COVID problem. Per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, the club has placed right tackle Terence Steele on the reserve/COVID-19 list after a positive test. As Watkins’ colleague, Michael Gehlken, tweets, Dallas’ O-line coach Joe Philbin, O-line assistant Jeff Blasko, offensive assistant Scott Tolzien, and strength and conditioning coaches Harold Nash, Jr., Cedric Smith, and Kendall Smith are also on the list following positive tests.
Neither Steele nor the staffers (with the possible exception of Cedric Smith) will be available for the Cowboys’ game against the Saints on Thursday. La’el Collins will get the start at RT in Steele’s absence.
Steele, a 2020 UDFA, served as Collins’ primary replacement last season, which Collins missed due to hip surgery. This year, Collins was hit with a five-game PED suspension, and starting left tackle Tyron Smith has missed time with an ankle injury. So Steele has played both LT and RT in 2021, and Pro Football Focus’ metrics paint him as the 53rd-best offensive tackle out of 81 qualifiers.
To combat further spread of the virus, the Cowboys will be working virtually through Monday and will have daily testing through Tuesday. The good news is that WR Amari Cooper, who has missed Dallas’ last two games due to a positive COVID test of his own, should be back in action for the Saints game, as Watkins writes.
The Cowboy’s other top wideout, CeeDee Lamb, who missed the club’s Thanksgiving loss to the Raiders due to a concussion, is also expected to clear protocols and suit up against New Orleans (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).
Latest On Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott might be out for a little while. The Cowboys are thinking about holding the running back out of Thursday night’s game against the Saints as he heals up from his knee injury (Twitter link via Ed Werder of ESPN.com). 
On the plus side, it doesn’t sound like Elliott will need to go on injured reserve, which would rule him out for at least three weeks.
“It’s that time of year,” head coach Mike McCarthy said this week (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com). “Zeke’s running style is ferocious. He gives a pounding and he takes some hits. We need to evaluate that and this week we’ll see what the preparation looks like for him.”
Elliott’s knee has clearly been bothering him. Over the last five games, he’s totaled less than 200 yards while averaging 3.43 yards per carry. And, on Thursday night against the Raiders, Zeke was held to just 25 yards, his lowest total of the year.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys have lost three of their past four games, dropping them to 7-4 on the year. That’s still good enough for first in the woeful NFC East, though the Eagles are trending upwards and still within striking distance.
If Elliott can’t go against the Saints, the Cowboys will use Tony Pollard as their lead back with support from Corey Clement. And, if Zeke needs extra time to recover, they may want to consider a promotion for practice squader JaQuan Hardy.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/26/21
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Buffalo Bills
- Activated from IR: WR Marquez Stevenson
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Elijah Wilkinson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Mitchell Wilcox
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Blake Jarwin; Jarwin remains on IR
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Christian Covington, DL Jerry Tillery
- Placed on IR: DB Mark Webb
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed off Patriots’ practice squad: LB Tashawn Bower
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: S Josh Metellus
New York Giants
- Promoted: TE Chris Myarick
Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb Ruled Out
The Cowboys won’t have their two best wide receivers for today’s game against the Raiders. CeeDee Lamb has been ruled out due to his concussion, according to Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater of NFL.com (Twitter link). Meanwhile, as previously reported, Amari Cooper will be held out per the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
[RELATED: Cowboys Designate Lawrence For Return]
Lamb hit the ground head-first last week when Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward drove him to the ground. After being checked out by team doctors, he was ruled out for the rest of the game. Now, he’ll miss at least one more contest, leaving Dak Prescott with Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Malik Turner and Noah Brown at WR in the interim.
Lamb, 22, has notched 50 catches for 740 yards and six touchdowns this year. Hopefully, he’ll be cleared in time for Week 13, when the Cowboys face the Saints in a Thursday night matchup.
In other Cowboys news, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has been designated for return. Lawrence, 29, has yet to replicate the gaudy stats that he posted in 2017 and 2018, but he should provide a boost for Dallas’ run defense. It’s also worth noting that Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics have positioned him as a top-tier edge defender, despite the dropoff in sacks.
Cowboys Designate DeMarcus Lawrence For Return
The Cowboys have designated defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence for return, as Doug Kyed of The Athletic tweets. The two-time Pro Bowler is back on the practice field today, and his 21-day activation window is officially open.
Per ESPN’s Ed Werder, Dallas is targeting next Thursday’s matchup with the Saints for Lawrence’s return to game action (Twitter link). Lawrence suffered a broken foot in practice after the club’s Week 1 loss to the Bucs, and he has been on injured reserve ever since.
Lawrence, 29, has yet to replicate the double-digit sack totals that he posted across the 2017-18 seasons, but he remains a key component of Dallas’ defensive front. He is a highly-effective run-stopper, and despite the drop-off in sack numbers, Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics have consistently pegged him as a top-tier edge defender. His return, and the imminent returns of fellow D-linemen Randy Gregory and Neville Gallimore, will be a massive boost to the Cowboys’ playoff push.
Dallas has lost another defender to injury, however. The team announced that it has placed safety Donovan Wilson, who is dealing with chest and shoulder ailments, on IR.
Wilson, a 2019 sixth-rounder, started 10 games for the Cowboys last season, notching 71 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three passes defensed. He suffered a groin injury in training camp this year and aggravated the injury in Week 1, which forced him to miss the next four games. He was gradually eased back into action, and he started both of Dallas’ last two contests. On the season, he has 18 tackles and a pass defensed, and he presently ranks as Pro Football Focus’ 46th-best safety out of 91 qualifiers.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/22/21
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed (off Ravens practice squad: QB Trace McSorley
- Waived: LS Beau Brinkley, RB Tavien Feaster
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: G/DT Kahlil McKenzie
Cleveland Browns
- Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: C Nick Harris
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Robert Foster, WR T.J. Vasher
Green Bay Packers
- Waived from IR: S Will Redmond
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: P Dustin Colquitt
Las Vegas Raiders
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Jordan Brown
Los Angeles Chargers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Linval Joseph
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Pharoh Cooper, LB Trent Harris, TE Chris Myarick, DB Steven Parker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Breshad Perriman
Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb Ruled Out With Concussion
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been ruled out for the rest of today’s game vs. the Chiefs with a concussion (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Lamb will undergo additional testing throughout the week, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be cleared in time for the team’s Thanksgiving game against the Raiders. 
Lamb, 22, was coming off of a strong performance against the Falcons, catching six passes for 94 yards and two scores in the 43-3 rout. Ironically, while celebrating his second touchdown, he clashed his helmet against Dak Prescott‘s helmetless-head.
“I realized it as soon as I did it,” said Lamb (via WFAA). “My helmet is still on. You know, man, let me take this off and apologize. I’m glad he’s all right: no concussion protocol, no nothing. I’m sorry, fans. Don’t kill me.”
Fortunately, Prescott was OK, but Lamb’s status is TBD after the first-half scare. The wide receiver hit the ground head-first when he driven to the ground by Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward. After initially being listed as questionable, the Cowboys ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
The Cowboys are also without Amari Cooper following his COVID-19 positive, so they’ll head into Thursday without two of their best offensive weapons. As it stands, the Cowboys are left with Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Malik Turner and Noah Brown at WR.
Through the first nine games of the year, Lamb has notched 47 catches for 726 yards and six touchdowns.
Latest On Cowboys’ D-Line Injuries
The Cowboys should be getting a major boost to their front seven within the month. Defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory, both currently on IR, could be back in action in the next three to four weeks, per club VP Stephen Jones (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic). DT Neville Gallimore is on the same timeline.
Dallas responded to its surprising loss at the hands of the Broncos in Week 9 by administering a thorough dismantling of the Falcons last week, and the 7-2 outfit has the makings of a legitimate championship contender. Getting back two of their top pass rushers would, of course, go a long way towards a deep playoff run.
Lawrence played in the Cowboys’ season opener but then suffered a broken foot in practice, which has kept him on the sidelines ever since. The 29-year-old has not been producing the type of gaudy sack totals that he amassed over the 2017-18 seasons — which helped earn him a five-year, $105MM contract in March 2019 — but he is still a key piece of Dallas’ defensive front.
Gregory, after missing a great deal of time due to suspensions over his first few seasons in the league, had posted five sacks and 12 QB hits through seven games this year before suffering a calf injury in practice earlier this month. He is out of contract at season’s end, and if he continues to play well when he returns, he could be in line for a nice payday. The current expectation is that the club will explore a long-term pact with him this offseason.
Gallimore, a 2020 third-rounder, started nine games in his rookie campaign and was expected to serve as a starter again this year. A dislocated elbow has kept him on the shelf all season, but if nothing else, he could be a useful rotational piece on the interior of the D-line. Third-round rookie Osa Odighizuwa and veteran Carlos Watkins have not been especially effective as the Cowboys’ starting DT tandem in 2021.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/20/21
We’ll keep track of today’s stream of minor moves right here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LB Tanner Vallejo
- Promoted: LS Beau Brinkley, RB Tavien Feaster, LB Joe Walker, LB Tahir Whitehead
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on IR: OLB Pernell McPhee
- Activated from IR: G Ben Cleveland
- Promoted: G/DT Khalil McKenzie, QB Trace McSorley, LB Joe Thomas
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: G John Miller
- Placed on IR: CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Chicago Bears
- Activated from IR: S Deon Bush
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Coulter, OLB Ledarius Mack
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: TE Mason Schreck
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: WR Lawrence Cager, DE Porter Gustin, CB Herb Miller
- Waived: RB John Kelly
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: CB Kyron Brown, CB Deante Burton
Denver Broncos
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Drew Lock
- Activated from IR: CB Michael Ojemudia, LB Justin Strnad
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: WR Tom Kennedy, OL Tommy Kraemer, K Aldrick Rosas
- Waived: DL Kevin Strong
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: La’Darius Hamilton, WR Juwann Winfree
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: DB Terrence Brooks
- Placed on IR: LB Hardy Nickerson
- Promoted: DL Derek Rivers
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: S Jahleel Addae
- Waived: CB Anthony Chesley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR John Brown
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: TE Daniel Brown
- Promoted: WR Daurice Fountain
Las Vegas Raiders
- Activated from IR: S Roderic Teamer
- Placed on IR: FB Alec Ingold (story)
- Promoted: FB Sutton Smith
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Andrew Brown, DL Forrest Merrill, CB Kiondre Thomas
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: RB Duke Johnson
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: DB Myles Dorn
New Orleans Saints
- Activated from IR: RB Tony Jones Jr.
- Waived: CB Ken Crawley, WR Kevin White
- Promoted: T Caleb Benenoch, DT Josiah Bronson, OL Will Clapp, CB KeiVarae Russell
- Placed on IR: DT Malcolm Roach
New York Jets
- Promoted: FB Nick Bawden, DE Ronald Blair
Philadelphia Eagles
- Placed on IR: OL Jack Anderson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: DL Daniel Archibong, LB Delontae Scott
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: CB Gavin Heslop
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: TE Tommy Hudson