OXNARD, Calif. – Staying healthy.
That is and always has been the main agenda of training camp, especially for a team that is coming off a season in which injuries plagued the team from start to finish, especially on defense.
But the first day of practice here at training camp in Oxnard, the Cowboys have suffered another big blow on the injury front.
Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford, a player the Cowboys were counting on to make big strides in his second season, was carted off the field halfway through Sunday's first practice. With practice still in the process, no official word was made on the injury, but according to a few sources and eye-witnesses close by, it appears it could be as significant as a torn Achilles.
Crawford couldn't put any weight on his left foot and was in obvious pain as he rode in the back of the cart, with his dejected face buried in a towel. Even before he was placed on the cart, Crawford was beating the ground with frustration and then tossed his helmet to the ground in disgust when he made it back to the training room area.
The Cowboys were hoping Crawford would be a key player in the defensive-line rotation as a tackle. Crawford played in all 16 games last year, registering 33 tackles and five quarterback pressures.
Last year, the Cowboys lost linebacker Caleb McSurdy to a torn Achilles and then safety Barry Church in Week 3 of the season. Both players have made it back for summer practices and are on the field for the start of camp on Sunday.
