Dallas Cowboys wide receiver James Washington suffered a right foot fracture Monday in practice.
Washington underwent surgery on Tuesday in Dallas. He is expected to need six to 10 weeks to recover fully, a timeline that spills over into the regular season.
The injury happened in the first training camp practice in pads on Monday, when Washington went up for a deep ball in seven-on-seven drills. It appeared the receiver’s foot got caught underneath Trevon Diggs.
Washington tried to get up but had difficulty putting any weight on his foot before the team’s medical staff tended to him. He was carted to the locker room, and further tests revealed a fracture to his fifth metatarsal.
The Cowboys’ pass-catching group was already going to be under the spotlight this season following the departure of last year’s No.1 receiver, Amari Cooper. The Cowboys traded Cooper to the Cleveland Browns in March.
Dallas also lost receiver Cedrick Wilson in free agency to the Miami Dolphins. Cooper and Wilson combined for 1,467 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
The Cowboys expect CeeDee Lamb to be their top receiver this season. The team also brought back receiver Noah Brown, who has played 50 games for Dallas but contributed just 425 yards and no touchdowns in that time.
Dallas drafted receiver Jalen Tolbert out of South Alabama in the third round of this year’s draft. Coaches and executives have raved about his potential.
Last week, the team signed USFL MVP Kavontae Turpin, who is dynamic in both the return and receiving games. Young receivers T.J. Vasher and Simi Fehoko have yet to establish themselves in the league but have received some praise during training camp.
The Cowboys also plan to rely heavily on receiver Michael Gallup, who is currently on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. While rehab is going well for Gallup, he has ruled himself out of the regular season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The expectation is Gallup will return at some point in September.
The Cowboys have resisted the urge to sign more veteran help at the receiver spot, and it is unclear whether Washington’s injury will change their minds. After Washington went down, undrafted free agent Dennis Houston saw more work in practice with the first team alongside Lamb, Brown, and Tolbert.
Washington, who signed a one-year deal as a free agent with the Cowboys after four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, had already missed a significant portion of the offseason program with an injury to his left foot. He performed well in training camp, catching a touchdown pass in Saturday’s workout.
In his four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington amassed 114 catches, 1,629 yards, and 11 touchdowns in 60 career games. However, his numbers declined in recent seasons, with his last two years’ production combining for less than the 735 yards he produced in 2019.
Washington was confident that he would do more in Dallas.
“I feel like with everything that transpired at Pittsburgh, I didn’t really get to show my full self,” Washington said on March 24. “We had a crowded room at receiver. But nothing against anyone else, I feel like there’s a lot of meat left on the bone. I didn’t really get to fully develop myself and make strides like I wanted to.
“I’m going to take full advantage of this opportunity in Dallas. Do what I can so that they get 110% of me and I can reach my full potential.”
