Cowboys Rumors: James Washington Feared to Have Jones Fracture Injury After Testing

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Wide receiver was already a position with some short-term question marks for the Dallas Cowboys heading into the 2022 season, and now there may be even more reason for concern.

Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News shared video of wide receiver James Washington being carted off the field during Monday’s practice. He was injured while attempting to haul in a deep pass and couldn’t put weight on his right leg after the play.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the NFC East team is worried Washington, who is undergoing additional testing, suffered a Jones fracture in his foot.

This offseason already saw Dallas trade Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns and lose Cedrick Wilson Jr. to the Miami Dolphins in free agency.

That alone would have left the wide receiver room filled with some uncertainty, but Michael Gallup recently told reporters it doesn’t seem realistic to expect him to be back for the team’s Week 1 game as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered last season.

“We got a little ways to go,” Gallup said. “It’s gotta get a little bit stronger. … I’m ready to get back out there and help the team win.”

While CeeDee Lamb is the clear-cut go-to option for the Cowboys, especially if Gallup is out, Washington figured to be a significant contributor during the early portion of the season. Dallas signed Washington this offseason in a move that seemed to shore up some of the depth concerns, but that won’t be the case if he is also injured.

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Washington with a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, and he played his first four seasons for the AFC North team. He was a secondary contributor for most of his time in Pittsburgh, although he finished the 2019 season with 44 catches for 735 yards and three touchdowns.

The Oklahoma State product posted 24 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games last season.

If Washington is also sidelined, the Cowboys will likely rely more on the combination of Noah Brown, T.J. Vasher and Jalen Tolbert behind Lamb.