Dallas Cowboys Officially Moving Leighton Vander Esch to IR, Signing Rashaan Evans

Dallas Cowboys Officially Moving Leighton Vander Esch to IR, Signing Rashaan Evans

FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on Thursday confirmed that linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is heading to the injured reserve list due to the neck injury he sustained in Sunday night's 42-10 loss at the San Francisco 49ers.

Vander Esch will be out at least four to six weeks, with the Cowboys optimistic about his eventual return, but ...

Evans and Vander Esch

McCarthy did say the team is going to approach the situation with “an abundance of caution,” especially wise given Vander Esch's history with neck-related issues dating back to his college career at Boise State.

The addition of the veteran free agent Evans - who emerged from a mid-week group of four linebackers the Cowboys brought in for a workout, including Brandon Smith, Tanner Vallejo and Jordan Evans - is designed to fortify the Cowboys at a relatively thin position.

Cowboys BREAKING: 1st-Round Linebacker Rashaan Evans Signing

Evans was a first round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2018 - which happens to be the same year the Cowboys drafted Vander Esch in the same first round. Evans played last season with the Atlanta Falcons and was a full-time starter there after having spend the stsart of his career with the Titans.

In Dallas, he might figure in quickly alongside Damone Clark, with the Cowboys also talking of having edge-rushing standout Micah Parsons playing more linebacker.