Dallas Cowboys will be without a crucial starting lineman for 6-8 weeks
The Dallas Cowboys are expecting to be without starting center Cooper Beebe for the next 6-8 weeks after he suffered a lateral ankle sprain and foot bone fracture in Sunday’s game against the New York Giants. Executive vice president Stephen Jones relayed the timeline on Monday on the team’s flagship radio station, 105.3 The Fan.
Beebe was injured late in the game on an extra point attempt when his ankle got caught between a defender and tight end Luke Schoonmaker. He did not return to the game and was seen in the locker room on crutches with a heavily swollen ankle.
On Monday, the team officially moved Beebe to the injured reserve list, requiring him to miss at least four games, although it’s expected that the timeline will extend a bit further.
“It sounds like it’s going to be six to eight weeks,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Monday. “He’s got a foot he’s dealing with. I’m disappointed for him.”
A third-round pick out of Kansas State in the 2024 draft, Beebe has been the team’s starter at center since his arrival. In his rookie season, he started 16 games and allowed just three sacks and 18 pressures in 692 pass block snaps. His 2.6-percent pressure rate was among the lowest for all rookie offensive linemen in the NFL.
While Beebe is recovering, fourth-year offensive lineman Brock Hoffman is expected to take over the starting center duties. Hoffman, who started seven games last season at right guard after Zack Martin’s injury, allowed one sack and six pressures in 286 pass block snaps in 2024. He has one career start at center in week three of the 2023 season.
“I’m pleased that we have a guy like Brock Hoffman that can step in,” Schottenheimer said. “Brock came in and played some important snaps in overtime. Against a good front, I thought Brock did really, really well.”
Wide receiver and kick returner KaVontae Turpin also left the game in the second half on Sunday, as he was seen in a neck brace following the win. Schottenheimer said that tests came back clean and that he has a chance to play in week three against the Chicago Bears.
