Cowboys RG Zack Martin has officially been ruled out of Sunday’s game vs. Washington
Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy all but ruled Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin out of Sunday’s game against Washington.
Martin suffered a concussion against Arizona Cardinals Monday night and missed practice all week in concussion protocol. He has not yet been cleared.
“Unless something changes here in the next 24 hours, I don’t see Zack participating,” McCarthy said Friday morning. “We recognize it being a Monday night game it was going to be a challenge. He is still not through the protocol.”
Martin was later ruled out of the game on the team’s official injury report.
Connor McGovern is expected to start in his place against Washington.
Add in Cam Erving likely starting at left tackle in place of Brandon Knight and it will be the seventh straight week for the Cowboys to start a different unit up front due to a plethora of line injuries, including the loss of left tackle Tyron Smith and right tackle La’el Collins for the season.
“I don’t recall having this many injuries (up front),” McCarthy said. “It’s a challenge.”
The projected starting lineup against Washington is Erving at left tackle, Connor Williams at left guard, rookie Tyler Biadasz at center, McGovern at right guard and undrafted rookie Terence Steele at right tackle.
Only Williams was listed as a starter going into the season.
Erving is a six-year veteran but he is a career backup and will make his first start for the Cowboys Sunday. McGovern will make his first career start.
Biadasz replaced an injured Joe Looney a couple of weeks ago and Steele has started in place of Collins since the season opener. Brandon Knight originally replaced Smith but suffered a knee injury against the Cardinals and underwent minor surgery on Tuesday.
The Cowboys will undoubtedly be challenged up front against a Washington team that has one of the league’s most talented defensive lines, featuring four first-round picks in ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat and tackles Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne to go along with veteran pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan.
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 11:14 AM.
