The Cowboys’ 31st-ranked defense is losing another piece. The team is placing linebacker Jack Sanborn on IR, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. This move will make room for Cooper Beebe‘s return, however.
Beebe is being activated from IR ahead of tonight’s Dallas-Arizona game. The Cowboys’ starting center has been out since Week 2 with foot and ankle injuries. The second-year blocker suffered a lateral ankle sprain along with a bone fracture in his foot in September; his return comes within the initial recovery timeline.
Dallas has been using Brock Hoffman at center in place of Beebe, but the more experienced player will be set to return to backup status. Beebe has started all 18 games he has played as a pro. The Cowboys plugged he and fellow 2024 draftee Tyler Guyton into the lineup as rookies. They will now have three first- or second-year players, with Tyler Booker in the lineup, starting up front against the Cardinals. Beebe’s development will remain a priority for the Cowboys, who turned to their 2024 third-rounder to replace departed free agent Tyler Biadasz last year.
This activation will leave the Cowboys with four injury activations remaining. The team already activated cornerback Caelen Carson and used summer IR-return designations on wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and defensive end Payton Turner. The latter has not yet returned to practice, but by virtue of the summer IR-return move, he already counts toward Dallas’ eight-activation total.
Pro Football Focus has Hoffman rated 31st among centers, pointing to Beebe’s return providing a boost. The Cowboys have been wildly inconsistent this season, but they do sport one of the league’s best offenses. Beebe’s comeback figures to help Javonte Williams continue his bounce-back season.
Sanborn has started five of the six games he has played with Dallas. The team continues to wait on DeMarvion Overshown‘s return from a major knee injury. Overshown remains in the PUP-return window, having begun practicing late last month. PFF slots Sanborn 55th among qualified linebackers this season.
The former Bears defender is on a one-year, $1.5MM deal, coming over as one of a few low-cost Cowboys linebackers in recent years. A groin injury will move Sanborn off the 53-man roster for at least four games, per the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins. Sanborn started five games before coming off the bench in Week 7. He missed the team’s Week 8 Broncos matchup.
The Cowboys also signed running back Malik Davis from the practice squad and used their standard gameday elevations on defensive back Zion Childress and tight end Princeton Fant.