Dallas Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz likely 'out' for Week 18 versus Washington
After receiving a positive diagnosis for a high-ankle sprain on Friday, Dallas Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz is likely to sit out of the team’s Week 18 game versus Washington. Mike McCarthy shared that the former starter will begin rehab this weekend in the hopes that he will be ready to play again in time for playoffs.
“His scan was positive,” McCarthy said. “He’ll start rehabbing in the morning. I don’t think he’ll be available for Washington but it’s better than we anticipated, so that was good news.”
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones also shared some glimmer of optimism on Friday while on with 105.3 The Fan.
“We feel like he’s got a real chance to make it back for our first playoff game,” Jones said. “He’s had that high ankle before on the same ankle, and believe it or not, when it’s the second time around, those guys tend to recover a little faster.”
Biadasz, a fourth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin in 2020, took over as Dallas’s starting center ahead of the 2021 season and started every game since. In his rookie season, he started four games in place of an injured Joe Looney. On Thursday night, he went down ahead of the fourth quarter and after taking a cart to the locker room, he returned to the sideline in street clothes with a boot on his foot.
Cowboys lean on Jason Peters to up workload
In response to the center going down, Dallas shifted Conner McGovern to center, Tyler Smith to left guard and Jason Peters to left tackle, leaving Tyron Smith at right tackle and Zack Martin at right guard.
Though Peters has only played a maximum of 21 snaps in a single game this season, McCarthy said to expect a full load from the new left tackle this week.
“I think he’s ready to go a full game,” McCarthy said. “I think just the way he’s come in here and we’ve been very conscientious about workload capacity and workload even during the course of the practice week. And Jason, he’s an old-school pro. He’s downstairs right now. So he puts in a lot of extra time. He knows what it takes to get ready. And it’s that time of year too.”
Jerry Jones on Tony Pollard: ‘Not as concerned’
As for running back Tony Pollard, Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones said he isn’t “as concerned” about his thigh injury after the team’s leading rusher sat out on Thursday. That echoes what Mike McCarthy told reporters before kickoff.
“Definitely, yeah (we’re being smart with him),” McCarthy said. “Tony wanted to go, we just felt like this was definitely the best plan for the long term.
“(Reaching 1,000 yards) matters. It would be his first 1,000-yard season so, I’m definitely aware of that. I look for Tony to go next week.”
If the Philadelphia Eagles win versus New Orleans on Sunday, it opens the door for Dallas to play it safe with the roster in Week 18 versus Washington. However, McCarthy expressed the desire to continue getting his starters, several of which are former backups, as much opportunity to grow as possible.
“The biggest thing, and obviously we want the Saints to win, but we want to line up and play as much as we can when we line up in Washington,” McCarthy said on Thursday night. “That will be the best situation for us.”
Asked whether the team’s plan will include playing all the stars in Week 18, McCarthy said he’ll have to address the question on Monday.