Scandrick Out For Season
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee at practice Tuesday in Oxnard, Calif., and he will miss the entire 2015 season.
Scandrick went for an MRI exam, and he confirmed the results by a text message to ESPN on Tuesday night. He will undergo surgery to repair the injuries.
In another text to ESPN, Scandrick wrote, “I’ll be back, and I’ll be better than ever.”
The Dallas Morning News reported that Scandrick’s knee buckled while the tried to tackle Lucky Whitehead, with the rookie wide receiver falling on Scandrick’s leg.
“He said immediately, ‘It’s my ACL. I know it. It’s gone,'” secondary coach Jerome Henderson said.
Many Cowboys took it hard. J.J. Wilcox had a hard time returning to practice. Dez Bryant came and stood over Scandrick as he was being carted off. Scandrick was having a good practice before the injury and even had interception off quarterback Tony Romo. The defensive backs all got down on one knee and said a prayer for Scandrick after practice.
On his Twitter account, Romo wrote: “Sending prayers out to Orlando Scandrick … Your the best bud.”
“Yeah, it’s tough,” Henderson said. “You get a little emotional, because he’s one of your guys. So it’s tough to see him, out here in practice, go down. But again, it’s part of our game. It’s what makes our game great, because losing him gives somebody else another opportunity to step up and be a player for us. It’s a tough time, though.”
Scandrick, 28, was set to enter his eighth season out of Boise State. Last year, he played in 14 games, all starts, and recorded 55 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, nine passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
The Cowboys and Scandrick agreed to a contract extension in May. The deal reportedly goes through 2019 is due to pay him $20 million, including $4 million this year.
Henderson said Tyler Patmon would be the top candidate to fill in for Scandrick as the slot corner. Morris Claiborne will be the No. 1 corner on the right side with Brandon Carr on the left.
Rookie cornerback Byron Jones is also an option there, but the Cowboys like him more on the outside than in the slight. He is also getting a long look at safety.
