Cowboys' Leighton Vander Esch Reportedly to Undergo Surgery on Collarbone Injury

The Dallas Cowboys lost one of their key defenders in the first half of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch suffered a fractured clavicle on Sunday night. Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Vander Esch will undergo surgery to repair the injury. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network wrote that Vander Esch will be placed on injured reserve and that "he'll be back this season."

Dallas selected Vander Esch with a first-round pick in the 2018 draft, and he wasted no time making his impact felt as a Pro Bowler with 140 tackles in his rookie season.

He seemed destined for stardom from the start, although he played just nine games last year because of a neck injury that required surgery. That neck injuries were a concern for Vander Esch coming out of college made the setback all the more notable.

The hopes in Dallas entering the 2020 campaign were that Vander Esch would return to the dominant form he displayed as a rookie and make a stout one-two punch with Jaylon Smith.

Those plans will need to be put on at least temporary hold given the latest injury, but the Cowboys do have some other pieces at linebacker who can fill in until he is ready to return.

Look for the combination of Luke Gifford and Joe Thomas to see more playing time if Vander Esch is sidelined for an extended period, although the rest of Sunday's game remains a concern given the lack of active depth.

Todd Archer of ESPN noted the Cowboys dressed just four linebackers since Gifford was inactive.