Tyrone Crawford Carted Off Cowboys Practice Field with Leg Injury

Already facing questions on the defensive line, the Dallas Cowboys may now be in even worse shape after Tyrone Crawford suffered a right leg injury in practice Tuesday. 

Former ESPN reporter Ed Werder noted Crawford was taken off on a cart while a trainer held his right leg.

Vernon Bryant of the Dallas Morning News tweeted out an image of Crawford appearing to roll his ankle while trying to tackle running back Ezekiel Elliott:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the injury may not be as bad as initially thought, but the lineman is still set to undergo an X-ray Wednesday. That sentiment was echoed by Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who reported Crawford suffered a severely sprained ankle and would be ready for the start of the regular season. 

The Cowboys essentially rebuilt their defense in the offseason, particularly in the secondary. Pro Football Focus noted they lost 50.1 percent of their snaps at cornerback when Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr left as free agents. 

Because of that turnover in the secondary, a versatile defensive lineman like Crawford has added value for the Cowboys. He has recorded 9.5 sacks over the past two seasons. 

Louie Benjamin of Pro Football Focus ranked Dallas' defensive front seven as the NFL's seventh-worst unit coming into the 2017 season, citing the team's overall lack of pass rush (24th in PFF grading) and limited depth at linebacker. 

With Crawford on the sidelines, the Cowboys can turn to Charles Tapper or rookie Taco Charlton as their primary defensive end on the left side with DeMarcus Lawrence on the right side. 

Dallas' strength as a team is on offense with dynamic playmakers like quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Dez Bryant. For the Cowboys to improve upon their 13-3 record from last season, though, they need Crawford and the defense to keep opposing offenses off the field.