Cowboys WR Lance Lenoir Could Be Promoted
With wideout Allen Hurns expected to land on the injured reserve, the Cowboys could promote a wideout from their practice squad to take his place. Coach Jason Garrett said that practice squad wideout Lance Lenoir is a “viable” option to take a spot on the 53-man roster (via The Athletic’s Calvin Watkins on Twitter).
The 23-year-old Lenoir has appeared in seven games with Dallas this season, appearing mostly on special teams. The 2017 undrafted free agent out of Western Illinois previously impressed during his collegiate career, earning a pair of All-Missouri Valley Football Conference nods. Dallas clearly likes his potential, as he’s split time between the practice squad and active roster over the past two years. The wideout has displayed his talent during the past two preseasons, including a 2018 stretch that saw him haul in 12 receptions for 91 yards and one touchdown.
Of course, even with Hurns out of the lineup, it’s unlikely that Lenoir will see many (if any) reps at wide receiver during next week’s playoff matchup against the Rams. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and Cole Beasley will continue to see the majority of the targets at wide receiver, with Noah Brown and Tavon Austin potentially earning more reps.
Hurns suffered a dislocated ankle during the Cowboys win over the Seahawks last night. The 27-year-old has already undergone surgery and is expected to be ready in August.
Cowboys WR Allen Hurns Dislocates Ankle, Expected To Make Full Recovery
Sunday, 9:53am: Hurns suffered a dislocated ankle, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who adds that Hurns has already had surgery on the ankle (Twitter link). It was a horrible injury to watch, but Schefter says that Hurns should be ready to return to football in August if there are no complications.
Saturday, 7:52pm: Just minutes into the Cowboys’ wild card playoff game, receiver Allen Hurns went down with a devastating injury, and had to be carted off. 
It’s unclear what the exact injury is at this point, but something in Hurns’ leg clearly broke as his leg was bent back at a terrible angle. Hurns’ season is definitely done no matter how deep of a playoff run Dallas ends up making. It’s particularly bad news for the Cowboys’ passing game, as fellow receiver Cole Beasley also aggravated a lower leg injury in the first quarter.
It’s terrible news for Hurns, as the offseason acquisition was already having a rough year. Signed to a two-year $12MM deal this past March, Hurns was never able to establish himself in the offense. He initially looked like he might be the team’s number one receiver after Dez Bryant was cut, but ended up catching just 20 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns.
The Miami product spent the first four years of his career with the Jaguars, and had a breakout year in 2015. That season, he caught 64 passes for 1,031 yards and ten touchdowns. Many expect Beasley to depart in free agency this offseason, so Hurns should be back with the team next year in a depth role behind Amari Cooper.
Zeke Wants Extension
- The Cowboys have a bunch of young players they’ll need to pay soon, and Ezekiel Elliott would like to be first in line. The third year running back has one more year left on his deal after this season plus his 2020 fifth-year team option, but he’d like to be extended this offseason, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). While Rapsheet notes that it “makes sense given his workload”, it’s unclear at what price the team values him. We heard back in November that the team might not be in any rush to extend Elliott, so it will be very interesting to see what the team does here.
Buccaneers To Meet With Kris Richard
At least one team has scheduled a meeting with Cowboys defensive backs coach Kris Richard. The Buccaneers have planned an interview with Richard, according to the NFL network (via the Tampa Bay Times).
Teams are not allowed to meet with assistants whose teams are preparing for first-round games, but the Bucs have scheduled a summit with Richard for after the Cowboys’ wild-card game.
Both the Dolphins and Jets submitted interview requests to Richard, but it’s not known if any meetings are scheduled yet. The Bucs interviewed Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy in Kansas City on Wednesday.
Richard, 39, was viewed as a possible HC candidate last year. He oversaw the 2015 Seahawks’ No. 1 scoring defense and was the Legion of Boom’s position coach the previous three seasons, which also featured Seattle housing No. 1 scoring defenses. The Seahawks fired Richard after the 2017 campaign, leading him to Dallas.
Richard took over play-calling duties from Dallas DC Rod Marinelli this season. The Cowboys’ defense improved slightly, ranking sixth in points allowed. Tampa Bay’s defense struggled again, allowing the second-most points in the league.
Dolphins, Jets Seek Kris Richard Meeting
The two AFC East teams with head coaching vacancies have contacted a popular NFC East assistant.
Cowboys defensive backs coach Kris Richard received interview requests from the Jets and Dolphins on Monday, NJ.com’s Darryl Slater and ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter report (Twitter links).
During the 2018 hiring period, the Seahawks fired Richard after he’d spent three years as their defensive coordinator. A year later, it looks like he will have an opportunity to make a big move. The Jets and Dolphins, though, must wait to meet with the Dallas assistant. The Cowboys’ first-round playoff game prevents teams from meeting with Richard this week.
Previously the Legion of Boom’s position coach from 2012-14, Richard played a key role in Seattle’s rare run of defensive dominance. He has since overseen Byron Jones‘ breakout season and helped a Dallas secondary seeking safety help for months manage its current situation. Also serving as the Cowboys’ defensive passing game coordinator, the 39-year-old assistant has improved Dallas’ pass-defense DVOA mark as well.
The Jets choosing a defensive coach would continue a long trend. The franchise has not hired an offensively oriented leader since the mid-1990s.
Cowboys Activate CB C.J. Goodwin
The Cowboys are adding some reinforcement to their secondary. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Dallas has activated cornerback C.J. Goodwin from injured reserve.
The Cowboys signed Goodwin off the Bengals practice squad back in October. The 28-year-old went on to appear in two games for Dallas before breaking his forearm. Goodwin subsequently underwent surgery and was placed on injured reserve.
The cornerback has bounced around the NFL a bit since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014, spending time with the Steelers, Falcons, Cardinals, Giants, 49ers, and Bengals. He played in 28 total games between 2016 and 2017, compiling 26 tackles and two passes defended.
The Cowboys could use some extra help at cornerback, especially after Anthony Brown missed Week 16 with a back injury. That left Jourdan Lewis as the lone cornerback behind Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie, so Goodwin will provide some insurance for that trio. At the very least, Goodwin will have an opportunity to contribute on special teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/18
Here are the NFL’s minor moves on Christmas Eve:
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated off IR: CB C.J. Goodwin
- Waived: WR Lance Lenoir
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Paul Butler, S Dallin Leavitt
- Placed on IR: CB Daryl Worley
- Waived: DE Damontre Moore
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: LB LaTroy Lewis
- Placed on IR: TE Cole Wick
Tyrone Crawford Released From Hospital
Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was carted off the field today following a scary collision with Buccaneers offensive lineman Ryan Jensen. Fortunately, it sounds like the veteran will be alright. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes that a scan and MRI of Crawford’s neck came back as negative, and the lineman has been released from the hospital.
“Everything checks out very good,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “I’m really pleased with the initial MRIs, all the examinations. He went on to the hospital and had those examinations. . . .He doesn’t seem to have structural issues at all.”
Crawford is having another productive season in 2018, compiling 34 tackles and a career-high 5.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Crawford 36th among 116 eligible interior defenders. If the lineman is forced to miss any time, the Cowboys could turn to former first-rounder Taco Charlton to fill in.
- DeSean Jackson played today despite being list as questionable with a thumb injury, but the Buccaneers wideout was knocked out of the second half of his team’s game against the Cowboys with a foot injury. As Williams points out, the veteran lost his shoe on his only reception of the game, and he subsequently limped to the sideline before “collapsing in pain.” It sounds like Jackson doesn’t have much of a future in Tampa Bay, and today may have marked his final game with the organization. If the receiver doesn’t play next week, he’ll have finished the season with 41 receptions for 774 yards and four touchdowns.
Cowboys DL Tyrone Crawford Carted Off Field
Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford was carted off the field during today’s game against the Buccaneers (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). The veteran suffered an apparent neck injury during the second play of the game, and he was subsequently transported to the hospital.
Replays showed Crawford’s head and neck collide into the shoulder of Buccaneers offensive lineman Ryan Jensen. The 29-year-old was moving his arms and legs following the injury, and he lifted both arms as he was carted off. The Cowboys’ defensive captain also had his head stabilized to a board before exiting the field.
With the Cowboys pushing for a playoff spot, the team will now be struggling to replace one of their defensive leaders. The 2012 third-rounder was having another productive season in 2018, compiling 34 tackles and a career-high 5.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus ranked Crawford 36th among 116 eligible interior defenders, the second-straight season where he’s rated as above-average.
While it will be tough for the Cowboys to replace Crawford’s leadership and production, the team does have some depth at defensive tackle. Randy Gregory replaced Crawford following the injury, and the team could also turn to 2017 first-rounder Taco Charlton. The sophomore was active today after having been a healthy scratch for the Cowboys’ previous three games.
Cowboys Won't Sign Coates
- We heard earlier today that the Cowboys were working out receiver Sammie Coates, but don’t expect Dallas to sign him. The team isn’t going to sign the former Steeler and Brown, and were just “taking a look” at the wideout, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Forth-Worth Star Telegram (Twitter link). Coates was once a pretty productive and highly thought of receiver for Pittsburgh, but has had trouble staying in the league the past couple of seasons. Still only 25, the Auburn product will likely resurface somewhere soon.