Additional tests on James Washington‘s injured right foot confirmed that the Cowboys receiver fractured the fifth metatarsal. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones corroborated the diagnosis, according to Bill Jones of CBS11.
Washington will undergo surgery on the Jones fracture on Tuesday in Dallas, and the Cowboys are bracing for him to miss 10 weeks. That would put his return somewhere around Week 6.
The Cowboys surely will have to look outside the organization for help with Michael Gallup expected to miss the start of the season while recovering from a torn ACL on Jan. 2. They also may have some regret at trading Amari Cooper to the Browns.
Dallas signed Washington to a one-year deal after trading Cooper and losing Cedrick Wilson to the Dolphins in free agency. They were expecting him to start opposite CeeDee Lamb at least until Gallup returns.
Now, rookie Jalen Tolbert is the next man up with Noah Brown, Simi Fehoko and recently signed USFL MVP KaVontae Turpin also among those on the roster at the position. Will Fuller, T.Y. Hilton and former Cowboys Allen Hurns and Cole Beasley are among receivers who remain unsigned.