Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch's will miss Sunday's game against the Patriots with a neck injury and possibly additional games this seasons, but Dallas coach Jason Garrett said the team doesn't consider the situation to be "career-threatening."
"Leighton was having some symptoms yesterday, so we had him checked out," Garrett said Friday. "It was determined he has an issue in his neck. He's not going to be available for this week's game. ... We think at some point, he's going to be back."
Vander Esch has battled neck and back injuries throughout his second NFL season, leaving Week 7 against the Eagles with a stinger and not playing in the following game. After a bye week, he was in the starting lineup against the Vikings and was pulled early for a back injury and listed as questionable to return, only to re-enter after missing one series.
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The 2018 first-round draft pick played last week's game against the Lions seemingly without issue, but the neck injury apparently flared up during Thursday's practice.
"It probably stems back to the injury he had a few weeks ago [against Philadelphia]," Garrett said. "He had no symptoms, but it was a similar feeling he had."
The injury comes during a crucial week for the Cowboys, who are trying to stay atop the NFC East and regain their preseason status as Super Bowl contenders with a game against the Patriots. Four days later, Dallas will host the Bills on Thanksgiving.
Garrett said the team believes Vander Esch will return this season. He also said the injury isn't believed to be related to a neck injury Vander Esch suffered in college, which prompted some pre-draft speculation he would slide down draft boards in April.
In his redshirt sophomore year at Boise State, Vander Esch missed half the season with what was initially diagnosed as a concussion but was actually a neck issue later corrected by a chiropractor.
"The whole area up there just needs to calm down a little bit," Garrett said. "So we'll take his situation really week-by-week."