Charles Tapper

Cowboys To Place Charles Tapper On IR

Cowboys defensive end Charles Tapper is set to undergo surgery on his right foot, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Tapper will be placed on injured reserve as he heals from what sounds like a season-ending procedure. Charles Tapper (vertical)

Tapper is believed to have fractured of the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. It’s an unfortunate break for the youngster, particularly since he missed his entire would-be rookie season with a back issue. His 2017 campaign has been put on hold, and likely ended, after two games in which he recorded three tackles and one sack.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, David Irving is returning from suspension just as Tapper exits. The defensive end served a four-game ban for violating the league’s PED policy over the summer. Last year, he graded out as the league’s No. 29 interior defender, per the metrics at Pro Football Focus.

Tapper, a 2016 fourth-round pick, appeared in 39 games with Oklahoma in three seasons and piled up 13.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Collins, Eagles

The Cowboys are leaning toward activating left guard La’el Collins from injured reserve instead of rookie defensive end Charles Tapper, Brandon George of the Dallas News writes. No final decision has been made, however. Collins was meant to be the Cowboys’ starting left guard this year, but he has been out since Week 3 with a toe injury and was forced to undergo surgery. Fortunately, Dallas has been able to lean on Ronald Leary in his absence.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Cowboys Place Charles Tapper On IR

The Cowboys announced that they have placed defensive end Charles Tapper on injured reserve with a back injury. The move will make room for the addition of offensive tackle Emmett ClearyCharles Tapper (vertical)

Tapper was a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft and Dallas hoped that he would make an immediate impact while second-round Jaylon Smith would be sidelined for 2016. Unfortunately, Tapper was diagnosed with Pars Defect, an issue that had gone undetected since birth. He hoped that he could play through the pain in his lumbar spine with an injection, but it apparently wasn’t enough. Tapper will now be out for at least the next eight weeks and possibly for the entire season.

Tapper appeared in 39 games with Oklahoma in three seasons and piled up 13.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/31/16

Today’s minor moves:

  • To fill the void left by Tim Wrightwho landed on IR today – the Lions will sign free agent tight end Ben McCord, tweets Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. McCord went undrafted this year out of Central Michigan.
  • The Cowboys have signed their two fourth-round picks, defensive end Charles Tapper and quarterback Dak Prescott, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. As a result, their only unsigned selection remaining from this year’s class is third-round defensive tackle Maliek Collins. Prescott, the more notable of today’s signings in terms of name recognition, was a three-year starter at Mississippi State and served as a major dual-threat weapon for the Bulldogs, totaling 111 touchdowns as a passer (70) and rusher (41). Tapper appeared in 39 games with Oklahoma in three seasons and piled up 13.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.
  • The Cardinals have cut offensive tackle Edawn Coughman, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Arizona signed the 27-year-old in January, and he previously spent time with seven other NFL organizations. He hasn’t yet appeared in a game, however.
  • The Titans have signed second-round outside linebacker Kevin Dodd, as Jim Wyatt of Titans Online writes. Nine of the team’s ten draft picks have now reached deals with the team and safety Kevin Byard stands as the lone straggler. Dodd, who recorded 12 sacks last season at Clemson, has been sidelined from OTAs after undergoing foot surgery last week. The Titans have high hopes for Dodd and so does veteran Brian Orakpo. “He is just a natural pass rusher,’’ Orakpo said of Dodd. “He knows how to get after the quarterback. I love what he brings to the table. I am very excited to have him on the team. He is going to make everyone better, and we’re going to get him better and he is going to help the pass rush.”
  • The Texans have waived offensive lineman David Quessenberry with a Non-Football Injury designation, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Quessenberry has battled cancer in the past. The Texans are hoping to have him back in some capacity if he clears waivers, Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com writes. Houston could place him on the NFI list if he clears waivers. Alternatively, the team could welcome him back in a non-playing role. The Texans re-did Quessenberry’s deal on April 20th to include a full salary split, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. If and when Quessenberry lands on the team’s NFI list, he’ll earn $333K in 2016.
  • The Vikings have signed defensive lineman Bruce Gaston and waived/injured fellow defensive tackle B.J. Dubose, Matt Vensel of the Star-Tribune tweets. Dubose tore his ACL last week. Gaston made Green Bay’s opening day roster in 2015 and he’ll now try to do the same with an NFC North rival.