Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson injures eye in paintball accident

Damien Wilson is a candidate to become a breakout player for the Dallas Cowboys this season.

The second-year linebacker has received praise throughout the offseason, and is expected to challenge for playing time at middle linebacker. But Wilson is going to be sidelined in the early part of training camp.

Wilson was hit in the eye with a paintball about a week ago, and will be out a couple weeks to start camp, owner Jerry Jones said on Friday.

Jones referenced the injury in response to a question about three defensive players being suspended, saying the NFL is a “risky business.”

“Things do happen,” Jones said. “We have one player that won’t be [practice] for two or three weeks. He got hit in the eye with a paintball.

“It’s just an example of really why you should focus on what is good about it, where the good things are. … We’re going to focus on the good, good people that can be on the field that can play and make plays for us.”

Executive vice president Stephen Jones did not know much of the details about the incident, but said the early diagnosis is that it isn’t too serious such as the eye injury former Cowboy Chris Canty sustained prior to his senior season in college.

“As far as word is at this point,” Stephen Jones said.

The Cowboys placed Wilson on the non-football injury list along with running back Darren McFadden and linebacker Jaylon Smith. On the physically unable to perform list are defensive tackle Maliek Collins, running back Lance Dunbar, defensive end Benson Mayowa and tight end James Hanna.

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson injures eye in paintball accident."