FRISCO, Texas – A quick rundown of the Cowboys' difficulties on the defensive line:
Starters DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and Neville Gallimore (elbow) are currently on Reserve/Injured.
Defensive tackle Trysten Hill (knee) is currently on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list.
Defensive end Dorance Armstrong, who started against the Chargers last Sunday, will not play against the Eagles because of a high ankle sprain.
And now second-year defensive end Bradlee Anae is in COVID-19 protocol just three days before the Cowboys' home opener at AT&T Stadium.
Safe to say the Cowboys' depth will be tested once again Monday night.
Anae played 33 total snaps against the Chargers and Bucs, posting one tackle and one pressure. If he isn't cleared by Monday's game, the Cowboys will be down three defensive ends (Lawrence, Armstrong, Anae) against their division rivals.
The good news: starter Randy Gregory is back from the Reserve/COVID list and is having a good week of practice. Tarell Basham and Azur Kamara are also part of the rotation. Rookie Chauncey Golston also could make his NFL debut Monday.
Rookie linebacker Micah Parsons is once again an option to play defensive end, too. He lined up as an edge rusher almost exclusively against the Chargers, recording four pressures and a sack, according to the Cowboys' official stats.
Not surprisingly, head coach Mike McCarthy isn't keen on discussing where Parsons might play against quarterback Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offense.
"I'm not going to really get into that," McCarthy said Thursday. "You know, there's more opportunities playing different combinations. I think really the true focus is this offense is different than the first two teams we played. This offense is about speed and space and their offensive line -- they just had the one injury last week – but this is the healthiest they've been in some time. A big, athletic offensive line but five perimeter players that can really, really go.
"So we're really focused on speed and space and what we need to do to combat that."
