Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb has reportedly suffered a high ankle sprain and is now expected to miss multiple weeks as he recovers.
Lamb suffered the injury during the Cowboys’ first offensive drive in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, in which he took a handoff from the backfield and was rolled up on by one of the Bears’ defensive players.
Lamb quickly left the field and was evaluated by a trainer before attempting to come back into the game, where he managed to stay on the field for just one play before once again limping off.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that the Cowboys believe Lamb suffered a high ankle sprain, stating that the franchise will conduct more tests to determine the severity of the injury.
Rapoport stated further that the Cowboys “do not plan to place WR CeeDee Lamb on IR with his high-ankle sprain,” adding that Lamb will “miss at least the next two games and is considered week-to-week after that.”
The Cowboys’ decision to keep Lamb off the injured reserve is a positive sign for his eventual return, as any designation on this list would rule out the player for a minimum of four weeks due to injury.
Despite not catching a touchdown and struggling with drops to open the season, Lamb had put together a solid start to the year, leading the Cowboys with 222 receiving yards and ranking second on the team with 24 catches while missing nearly all of Week 3.
Lamb said shortly after the Cowboys’ loss to the Bears that his ankle was feeling strong despite the injury, adding that he “absolutely” believes that he can play in Week 4, according to Jon Machota.
Similarly, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team’s doctors believe the injury is not as serious as it could have been, saying everyone will keep “fingers crossed” for more good news, per Machota.
This injury comes as the Cowboys are set to take on the Green Bay Packers in the first return of defensive end Micah Parsons since a trade earlier in the offseason.
Both teams are entering this game after a disappointing loss, with Dallas currently 1-2 on the season and the Packers entering this matchup with a record of 2-1.
Following this difficult matchup, the Cowboys will travel to take on the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers in Weeks 5 and 6 before returning home for a game against the Washington Commanders in Week 7.
Although picking up wins will be difficult without one of the best receivers in the NFL, Dallas has the potential to take down multiple of these teams if playing at their best.