The news that the Cowboys will be without inside linebacker Sean Lee for the rest of the season has spurred the team to move quickly to find another body at the position.
Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com reports that veteran linebacker Ernie Sims will visit with the team on Wednesday with the expectation that he will sign with the team. Sims was the ninth overall pick of the 2006 draft for the Lions, but his stays in Detroit, Philadelphia and Indianapolis have not produced play that measures up to that lofty draft status. The fact that Sims went unsigned throughout the offseason and the first seven weeks of the regular speaks volumes about how little his efforts have impressed NFL decision makers.
Sims started four games for a bad Colts defense in 2011, but will take on a reserve role in Dallas. Dan Connor and Bruce Carter will now start at inside linebacker and the team only has undrafted rookie Orie Lemon currently on the roster behind them. Sims’ arrival won’t do much to ease the pain of losing Lee, but it will leave the Cowboys a bit better equipped the rest of the way.
Lee is set to have surgery on his toe next week, ending another promising season earlier than expected because of injury. The loss will put a lot of pressure on the Cowboys defense to maintain their performance through this point in the season since Lee was a linchpin of their work against both the pass and run this season.