Anthony Spencer could be out for the season
Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer (93) at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The Dallas Cowboys could lose one of their star players for the entire season, as owner Jerry Jones stated that Anthony Spencer could be lost for the entire season with a knee injury, per Cowboys beat writer Nick Eatman. Spencer was a game-time decision against the St. Louis Rams, and the Cowboys decided to hold the injured left end out of the game, and the only game he has played in this season was Week 2. The elite pass rusher is clearly hobbled by the knee injury, but the hope was that Spencer would be able to play through the pain and be constantly re-evaluated as the season progressed with surgery coming in the offseason.
But it looks like the surgery is set to come before then, and it is clear that Anthony Spencer is not healthy at all and would have never been at full strength this season. Currently on a franchise tender, the 29-year-old is a key member of the Dallas Cowboys defense and posted incredible numbers as a pass rusher and in run defense last season with 95 tackles and 11 sacks. While he’s better as a 3-4 OLB, he can most definitely fit the 4-3 scheme, so losing him for the season would be a critical blow for the Cowboys. Even though Spencer would have never been a full-time starter this year due to the injury, it still hurts to lose any part of a player of that caliber.
Nothing is set in stone yet, though, and this is only a fear relayed by Jerry Jones. If Spencer does need surgery, then it sounds like it will be microfracture surgery. That is the worst kind of knee surgery there is, and it only takes a swift look at former NFC East TE Jake Ballard to see how devastating of an effect it can have on a player’s career. Here’s to hoping the best for Anthony Spencer, who truly is a great player to watch.
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