Cowboys injury news: Jourdan Lewis & Luke Gifford are game-time decisions, Xavier Woods a question mark

We are officially in Week 1 which means we are back to the normal rhythms and rhymes of a regular season. Part of the dance between Monday and kickoff obviously includes managing injuries.

When Monday began the Cowboys had already placed La’el Collins, Sean Lee, and Ventell Bryant on injured reserve. As a result of the move they will all have to miss at least the first three weeks of the season, but unlike previous years an unlimited number of players can return from IR in 2020 (but only once per player).

While those are the only players that are on injured reserve, the Cowboys do have other potential issues in the injury department. Stephen Jones took to the airwaves of 105.3 The Fan on Monday and provided a bit of an update.

Jourdan Lewis and Luke Gifford will be game-time decisions against the Rams, Xavier Woods is a question mark

It has been a minute since cornerback Jourdan Lewis practiced for the Cowboys. According to Stephen Jones, he and linebacker Luke Gifford will both be game-time decisions on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams. Safety Xavier Woods is a question mark, but he is apparently further along than the rest.

“Certainly as we got down to it, it’s a long season, and La’el and Sean have been battling some things that we think it’s just in their best interest to really focus on getting 100% well. So they were obvious. And then of course Jourdan Lewis and Gifford will be game-time decisions in terms of whether they make it this week or next, felt like at the latest it would be the second game. Didn’t feel like it was the right thing to do to put them over there. Two good players that we can certainly use to win games with. Obviously Xavier’s a question mark as well, but I think he’s even further along than all of them. So I feel real good about him playing. And just barring some setback we feel good about it.”

None of this is shocking, but thinking about the state of the Cowboys secondary at the moment isn’t exactly a whole lot of fun. Of course, the Cowboys do have veteran Brandon Carr back in the fold and can trot him out either at corner or safety if Lewis and/or Woods are unable to go.

Due to the new collective bargaining agreement put in place over the offseason, there can now be 48 players active on game day as opposed to 46 (as it was previously). The only stipulation is that one of the two new active players must be an offensive lineman. So at the very least the Cowboys could carry one more extra defensive back if they’d like to.