Cowboys’ Tyron Smith, David Irving unlikely to play this week vs. Eagles

Coach Jason Garrett isn’t going to treat the Dallas Cowboys’ meaningless season finale as, well, a meaningless game.

Garrett said any player who is healthy is going to play.

“Be our best regardless of what circumstances are,” Garrett said. “Anybody who is healthy and ready to go – they are going to play three hours on Sunday.”

But, as Garrett said, the Cowboys won’t use players who are dealing with injuries, notably left tackle Tyron Smith and defensive tackle David Irving.

Smith is battling a right knee injury and lasted only three plays against the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday. He didn’t practice Wednesday and is expected to be shutdown for the season. Smith missed two games earlier this season with a groin injury.

Garrett said swing tackle Byron Bell would remain as Smith’s primary backup.

Neither did Irving, who has missed the past three weeks with lingering issues from a concussion he sustained in the Nov. 30 game against the Washington Redskins.

Irving hasn’t cleared concussion protocol yet, and it’s doubtful the Cowboys would use him after so many weeks off.

Defensive tackle Maliek Collins has moved from nose tackle to under tackle in Irving’s absence.

Other players who didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice included wide receiver Cole Beasley (illness), linebacker Anthony Hitchens (knee) and right tackle La’el Collins (back).

All three of them are expected to practice as the week goes on, though, and be available for Sunday’s game in Philadelphia. Collins said after the Seahawks game that he expected to play in the finale.

This story was originally published December 27, 2017 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Cowboys’ Tyron Smith, David Irving unlikely to play this week vs. Eagles."