Cowboys: Injuries at safety could start ripple effect

The Cowboys aren't ruling out either of their two starting safeties this week against the Bucs, but the likely replacements could force the club to alter a pair of positions.

By Nick Eatman

Sep 18, 2012 at 5:16 pm ET • 1 min read

Cowboys safety Barry Church (foreground) missed the second half of Dallas' loss to the Seahawks and is questionable for Sunday's game against Tampa Bay. (AP)

The Cowboys aren’t ruling out either of their two starting safeties this week against the Bucs, but the likely replacements could force the club to alter a pair of positions.

Gerald Sensabaugh suffered a calf injury in Sunday’s loss to Seattle and was in a walking boot for two days. He likely won’t practice on Wednesday when the team goes to full pads and his status for Sunday will be questionable at best.

Barry Church, who also missed the second half of the Seahawks game with a quad injury, seems to be more likely to play.

In any event, the Cowboys will have to get backups Danny McCray and Mana Silva prepared to play and possibly start. And the Cowboys might try to slide some cornerbacks into the mix at safety, including Mario Butler and possibly Mike Jenkins, who had some safety looks in the game Sunday, his first of the season.

McCray would be the first option assuming only one of the starters misses the game. However, McCray is also the team’s best special teams player and captain of the kicking units.
An injury to McCray would be another tough blow for special teams, which could also be without second-year linebacker Alex Albright, who suffered a stinger/neck injury on Sunday and missed the fourth quarter.