Anthony Hitchens Reportedly Won't Need Surgery to Repair Leg Injury

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens will reportedly not need surgery to fix the tibial plateau fracture he suffered during the second quarter of Saturday's preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Hitchens was able to avoid surgery after it was determined he had no ligament damage. 

The Cowboys announced on Sunday that Hitchens' initial recovery time would be eight weeks and he was going to have his knee scoped to make sure there was no damage to his ACL.

Rapoport reported the Cowboys believed Hitchens tore his ACL and would be forced to miss the entire 2017 season. 

Losing Hitchens for eight weeks is a significant blow to a Cowboys defense that lost Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox, Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne and Terrell McClain in free agency and has seen David Irving and Damontre Moore get suspended to start the regular season. 

Hitchens started all 16 games for the Cowboys in 2016 and set a career high with 78 tackles. The Cowboys could elevate Jaylon Smith, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, into a starting role. Justin Durant, who appeared in 13 games last season, is also a candidate to start during Hitchens' absence.