Dallas Cowboys update status of several starters

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dallas-cowboys-injury-report-for-thursday-at-washington-football-team-ezekiel-elliott-tony-pollard-noah-brown-landon-collins-dak-prescott — Rich Graes fourthsle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys received some good news on Friday. Dallas released injury updates on some key starters.

Wide receiver Cedrick Wilson was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday morning, the Cowboys announced. Wilson missed the last two games, but only missed last week’s game against the Washington Football Team because he was placed on the COVID-19 list. He also missed Dallas’ Dec. 2 game against the New Orleans Saints with an ankle injury.

Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is also expected to play this week against the New York Giants as he comes back from a foot injury. Lawrence was limited in practice this week and shed an injury designation, meaning he should be a full go for the second straight week. Last week against Washington, Lawrence had a sack as part of a five-sack effort from the Cowboys defense.

But it’s not all good news for Dallas. Left tackle Tyron Smith has been ruled out for Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury, and running back Tony Pollard is questionable as he works his way back from a foot injury. Pollard missed last week’s game against Washington and said he’d likely be a game-time decision again against the Giants.

Cowboys provide injury update on running back Tony Pollard

Pollard, who missed last weekend’s game against the Washington Football Team with a foot injury, will be a game-time decision again this weekend against the New York Giants. He returned to practice on Thursday.

Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, he is improving each day after suffering a torn plantar fascia in Week 13.

“It’s definitely getting better,” Pollard said.

The injury is a painful ligament problem, one which players often need injections for prior to taking the field to play. It’s not uncommon for football players to suffer the injury, and some are sidelined as long as six weeks as a result.

Pollard has 602 yards and two rushing touchdowns on the season plus 31 receptions for 259 yards. He is averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

Cowboys top running back Ezekiel Elliott has a nagging knee injury, but he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. He had 12 carries for 45 yards and a 15-yard reception for Dallas against Washington, picking up some of the slack in Pollard’s absence.

The Cowboys topped Washington 27-20 last weekend, and have another important NFC East game this weekend when they head to 4-9 New York. Dallas won the first meeting this year 44-20 and is firmly in control of the NFC East, and they currently sit a game back from having a first-round bye.