Cowboys Wilson & Izzy Injuries: Next Safety Up?
The excitement of training camp for the Dallas Cowboys quickly faded in one sense on Wednesday with the sight of starting safety Donovan Wilson being carted off the field due to a calf injury.
As CowboysSI.com originally reported, we now know that Wilson, a member of the Cowboys' three-headed monster at safety, could be out for the rest of camp as he recovers from a calf strain. Then, not long following Wilson's injury, cornerback/safety hybrid Israel Mukuamu exited the field with a hamstring issue that could sideline him for "multiple" weeks.
With Wilson and Mukuamu forced to watch the rest of camp unfold, who is next up at safety?
Luckily for the Cowboys, they still have Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker as active starter participants to this point, but their depth at safety has been limited.
Hooker, the former first-round draft pick out of Ohio State, could be considered the "next man up" for the Cowboys in terms of snaps … except he’s already a key guy. Why put him in harm’s way?
Despite only starting in six games for Dallas, Hooker played in 16 and totaled 62 tackles, three pass deflections, and three interceptions last season as the Cowboys' third safety. He was already “needed.”
So who can mimic Wilson’s style? Here’s a name for fans in Oxnard to keep an eye on: Markquese Bell. The former undrafted free agent signed last offseason earned a job with the Cowboys after standing out in preseason.
The 6-3, 212-pounder on special teams? That’s where he'll likely see most of his snaps this season. Yet after a rookie season where he was buried on the Cowboys' depth chart, Wilson's injury gives Bell a second chance to show what type of player he can be when called upon.
Wilson played an integral role in the Dallas secondary last season, leading the team in tackles with 101 and finishing fifth in sacks (5). While Wilson may not bring the same coverage ability as Kearse or Hooker, he brings a certain physicality and toughness to the Cowboy's defense as a run defender that will be missed in camp … but hopefully not missed because he’s not missing after that frankly.
And in the meantime? Maybe Bell gets to show off his stuff.
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