Seriously in need of a bounceback game when they visit the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys will be down a key player for yet another week -- again due to COVID-19. The team announced on Sunday that Terence Steele, a backup tackle turned starter (turned backup and then starter again), has been moved to the Reserve/COVID-19 list and will not travel with the team this week.
On Thanksgiving, it was wide receiver Amari Cooper missing his second consecutive game due to COVID-19, and the Cowboys are anxious to evaluate him this week for his to-be-determined availability against the Saints.
Steele joins offensive line coach Joe Philbin, assistant offensive line coach Jeff Blasko and offensive coaching assistant Scott Tolzien on the COVID/Reserve list -- all having been ruled out for Week 13. From a roster perspective, that reinserts La'el Collins at right tackle after the Cowboys placed Steele back in the role in their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Thanksgiving, before making the decision to pull Steele for Collins on a drive only to reverse their decision immediately after.
It wasn't the only odd O-line adjustment the Cowboys made in Week 12 -- and during a game, no less -- the other involving interior linemen Connor McGovern and Connor Williams.
Head coach Mike McCarthy has preached about having continuity in front of Dak Prescott, but the Cowboys have had anything but that as of late, due to both voluntary and involuntary reasons. The Cowboys have a mini-bye following their bout with the Saints and, barring any setbacks, Steele should be available for the matchup in Week 14 against the Washington Football Team on Dec. 12.
