Cowboys avoided major injury scare for key Dak Prescott weapon

The Dallas Cowboys dominated the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon, 33-17. So thorough was their victory that even Tom Brady's rote color commentary could no ruin the experience for Dallas fans. Dak Prescott finally worked out a contract extension hours before kickoff, so it was a day of jubilation in the heart of Texas.

That jubilation was put on ice in the third quarter, however, when Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson went to the ground with an apparent knee injury. After going airborne for a catch, Ferguson's left ankle was caught beneath a defender's helmet on his way to the ground. The result was a painful-looking tweak.

The initial fear was a major injury, such as an ACL tear. He appeared destined to miss significant time.

After the game, however, Ferguson was seen walking to the team bus without crutches or a brace — just ice tied with gauze. Ferguson told reporters of plans to get an MRI, but according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, there is a belief that Ferguson avoided the worst-case outcome.

"I think we’ve dodged a big one," Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters (h/t Nick Harris). "Just talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence…He gave me good news."

Cowboys appear to dodge significant injury to TE Jake Ferguson

Ferguson netted three receptions for 15 yards before the injury. CeeDee Lamb naturally demands the headlines when it comes to Dallas pass-catchers, but Ferguson's value — both as a playmaker and a blocker — is hard to overstate. He totaled 71 receptions, 761 yards, and five touchdowns last season, just his second in the NFL.

If Ferguson does indeed miss time, 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker figures to see a bump in targets. The Cowboys tend to value their tight ends, but there's no one-for-one Ferguson replacement on the roster. Dallas has the offensive firepower to survive his absence, but it's one less target for Prescott to frequent, which ratchets up the pressure on the Cowboys' other top weapons.

We — and the entire Cowboys fandom — will await further updates with bated breath. The current update is positive, but there is still a bit of uncertainty as to how positive this update is. With how well Ferguson was moving around after the game, perhaps he's back in the saddle for Week 2. But, if more severe analysis is correct, Ferguson could still miss a few weeks.

At the very least, he appears to have avoided a season-ending injury, which is a victory in and of itself. The Cowboys will get Ferguson back sooner or later, which ideally allows Dallas to mount a relatively healthy campaign.

With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb finally locked up on long-term contracts, the Cowboys are ready to put a maddening offseason behind them and win football games. If Sunday's smackdown of a good Browns team is any indication, the NFC East should be quite afraid.