The Dallas Cowboys, already thin on defense, fear they have lost starting inside linebacker Anthony Hitchens for the season with a knee injury.
Hitchens was injured Saturday in Dallas as the Cowboys hosted the Oakland Raiders. He couldn’t put any weight on his injured leg and had to be helped to the locker room.
#Cowboys fear starting LB Anthony Hitchens suffered a season-ending knee injury, sources say. MRI coming. A potential big loss on D.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2017
This is a huge blow to Dallas’ front seven, which already opens the season without pass rusher David Irving, who is suspended four games for PEDs.
Sean Lee on possibility of losing Anthony Hitchens: "It would be a huge loss. He's one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 27, 2017
Since being drafted out of Iowa in the fourth round in 2014, Hitchens has appeared in 48 games for Dallas, starting 36. He was a full-time starter last year, tallying 78 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks. This injury puts pressure on Dallas to push second-year linebacker Jaylon Smith into the starting lineup right out of the gate.