Report: Cowboys' Vander Esch out 6-8 weeks due to collarbone fracture

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch will be placed on injured reserve after suffering a fractured collarbone in the first half of Sunday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

A CT scan revealed a clean break, which means Vander Esch will undergo surgery and his timetable for return is six-to-eight weeks, added Rapoport.

The linebacker must miss at least three games under the league's new IR guidelines.

Vander Esch was taken to the locker room for evaluation during the game and later ruled out for the rest of the contest.

The 24-year-old finished last season on injured reserve after undergoing minor neck surgery to fix a nerve issue. The 2018 Pro Bowler has worn a neck roll since his time in Boise State but didn't miss any action as a rookie two years ago.

Vander Esch racked up 72 tackles, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble across nine games last season.

The Cowboys are also without veteran linebacker Sean Lee after placing him on injured reserve before the start of the campaign.

Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.