It was a rough two-day stretch for the Dallas Cowboys on the offensive line. After Robert Jones broke a bone in his neck during Sunday’s training camp practice, Tyler Guyton left the field Monday with a knee injury.
Guyton underwent an MRI to confirm the extent of his injury and the team initially feared that he suffered a torn ACL, according to NFL Network. However, it was later determined that the injury was not as severe as the team initially thought. Instead, it’s a bone fracture that will not require surgery, according to ESPN. A torn ACL would have likely sidelined Guyton for the season. Now a timeline for Guyton’s return to action is in the range of four to six weeks.
Guyton went to the ground late in practice, received assistance and walked off the field under his own power, albeit under the close watch of the Cowboys’ training staff.
Cowboys’ guard Robert Jones breaks bone in neck, reportedly will miss multiple months
Jordan Dajani
The Cowboys selected Guyton with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he was an instant success as a pro. He played in 15 games as a rookie and started 11 while allowing six sacks and 19 hurries last season as an early key cog in the trenches. The Oklahoma product, when healthy, is expected to be the franchise’s starter at the left tackle spot.
Though reportedly not as severe as initially thought, Guyton’s injury is a blow to an offensive line group that is already reeling from Jones’ expected long-term absence. Jones is expected to miss two to three months with his broken neck bone, delaying the start of his Cowboys tenure. He joined the franchise this offseason on a one-year deal after he started all 17 games at left guard last season with the Miami Dolphins.
With the offensive line in flux, Dallas may turn quickly to this year’s first-round addition to the unit: Alabama product Tyler Booker. The Cowboys took Booker at No. 12 overall, and while he took second-team reps in the early days of training camp, his presence just became immensely more important with two starters down.
Tumultuous offseason continues in Dallas
The offensive line injuries are the latest hiccup in what has been a dramatic offseason for the Cowboys. Fans voiced their frustration over the weekend with owner and general manager Jerry Jones amid another contract standoff, this time with four-time Pro Bowler Micah Parsons. The star pass rusher seeks a new deal in line with the rising market, but he and the franchise have yet to reach an agreement in a saga that continues to drag closer to the season opener.
Adding to the tensions in Parsons’ contract talks, Jones last week took a dig at the fifth-year defender, calling into question his ability to stay healthy.
“Just because we sign him doesn’t mean we’re gonna have him. He was hurt six games last year. Seriously,” Jones said.
The Cowboys are looking to bounce back after going 7-10 last season. This tumultuous start to training camp won’t help that cause.