Cowboys LB Malik Jefferson awaiting MRI results after foot injury
Malik Jefferson’s bid to establish himself in a talented Cowboys linebacker room may have taken a hit in Saturday’s preseason opener versus Jacksonville.
The 26-year-old suffered a foot injury in the third quarter of Dallas’s 28-23 loss to the Jaguars at AT&T Stadium. After staying on the turf momentarily, he was able to jog back to the sideline, but he was ruled out of the rest of the contest shortly thereafter. The injury was later deemed to be to his plantar fascia; he was seen walking around with no assistance in the locker room after the game.
Jefferson was, however, scheduled for an MRI on Sunday, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. The results of that test will likely play a major factor in what the rest of the Texas product’s preseason will look like.
A third-round draft pick of the Bengals back in 2018, Jefferson has bounced around a lot since then. After stints with the Browns, Chargers (twice), Titans, and Colts, the Cowboys signed him last July. He spent 2022 on the practice squad and was inked to a reserve/futures contract this past February.
He played well on Saturday leading up to the injury, logging two solo tackles and assisting on two more. He also nearly made an acrobatic play on an incomplete pass in the second quarter.
Almost made a hell of play @malikjefferson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EL03U3ogWY
— Andre' Williams (@CoachAWilliams1) August 13, 2023
PFF’s John Owning revealed that Jefferson was among the five highest-graded players for the Cowboys defense on the night.
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Even at full strength, the former Longhorn could have an uphill battle for a roster spot. Along with starting locks Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch, Damone Clark figures to be a breakout star this season, and fellow Texas alum DeMarvion Overshown made a strong first impression in his rookie debut. Devin Harper, Jabril Cox, and rookie UDFA Isaiah Land are also in the mix at the position.
