Dallas Cowboys Rule Out Malachi Lawrence, KaVontae Turpin As Jake Ferguson Lands Questionable vs. Indianapolis Colts

FRISCO, Texas — Neither Malachi Lawrence nor KaVontae Turpin practiced this week, and the Dallas Cowboys ruled both out Friday for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Lawrence, one of the Cowboys’ two first-round picks in April, hurt his ankle in Sunday’s 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that the rookie outside linebacker has an ankle injury “that might be a little bit longer” to recover from and that it could be a few weeks.

Turpin has not played since the opening kickoff of Dallas’ 23-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18 at Lambeau Field. Schottenheimer said after that game that the wide receiver and return specialist had a rib cartilage injury and that X-rays came back clean. Turpin sat out the Oct. 26 win at Philadelphia and the loss to Arizona. Sunday will be the third straight game he misses.

Seven more players are questionable for the noon CT kickoff. Tight ends Jake Ferguson (ankle) and Luke Schoonmaker (groin) are on that list with wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring), cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (ankle), linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring/back), defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard (calf), and outside linebacker Marist Liufau (forearm).

Bullard and Liufau practiced fully all three days this week. Both remain on injured reserve in their 21-day return-to-practice windows, and Dallas opened Bullard’s on Oct. 29. Both were questionable for the Arizona game as well, when the Cowboys activated safety P.J. Locke III from the same group and left Bullard and Liufau on reserve.

Caleb Downs And P.J. Locke Practice Fully After Concussions

Locke and rookie defensive back Caleb Downs carry no game status after both entered the NFL’s concussion protocol following the Arizona loss. Neither practiced Wednesday. Both were limited Thursday and full participants Friday, with Downs also listed for an ankle injury.

Downs, the No. 11 overall pick, had played 509 defensive snaps through eight games, 92% of the Cowboys’ total. He has 52 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 forced fumbles.

Locke spent more than a month on injured reserve with a torn plantar fascia before Dallas activated him Oct. 31, the day before the Arizona game.

Schottenheimer said Wednesday, with both players still in the protocol, that injuries had played a part in the defense’s struggles this season.

“I do think that that had something to do with some of the stuff,” Schottenheimer said. “But make no mistakes about it: We are not performing well enough as a football team and not just defensively.”

Guard Tyler Smith (ankle) moved from limited to full Friday and has no designation. Linebacker Dee Winters, ruled out against Arizona with a calf injury, was limited Wednesday before full practices Thursday and Friday. Defensive tackle Kenny Clark (back) and rookie offensive tackle Drew Shelton (hamstring) practiced fully all week. Shelton was inactive against Arizona. Tackle Broderick Jones (personal) and outside linebacker Von Miller (rest) missed Wednesday and returned in full Thursday.

Jake Ferguson Returns To Practice Before Indianapolis Trip

Before Friday’s practice, Schottenheimer said he hoped to have Ferguson back on the field. The tight end was a limited participant after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday.

Ferguson hurt the ankle on Dallas’ opening possession against Arizona and lasted four plays. He did not draw a target before he was ruled out.

Schottenheimer said Monday, a day after the injury, that Ferguson had a chance to play Sunday and that the team would monitor him through the week.

“We’ll see how he moves around,” Schottenheimer explained. “It might be later in the week that he goes, but we feel he tried to come back and just had strength to do it. But we feel like the results of the exams today were positive.”

Ferguson worked with the training staff Wednesday rather than practicing with the team. Through eight games, he has 17 catches for 115 yards and 3 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023.

Schoonmaker missed the Arizona game with the groin injury, which first appeared on the report Oct. 29. He was limited in all three practices this week.

Pickens was limited all week with the hamstring injury. He also carried a questionable designation into the Arizona game, listed with shoulder and hamstring injuries. Through eight games, Pickens has 533 receiving yards, 14th in the NFL.

Porter practiced fully Wednesday, then was limited Thursday and Friday with an ankle injury he picked up late against Arizona. Overshown did not appear on Wednesday’s report. He was added Thursday with hamstring and back injuries and was limited both days.

Kickoff is set for noon CT on FOX. Dallas is 3-5. Indianapolis is 2-6 after a 42-7 loss at Jacksonville last Sunday.