Dak Prescott Put on IR by Cowboys After Injury; Leighton Vander Esch Activated

The Dallas Cowboys placed Dak Prescott on injured reserve Monday and activated linebacker Leighton Vander Esch to the 53-man roster.

Prescott will miss the remainder of the 2020 season after suffering a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle in the win over the New York Giants on Oct. 11. Vander Esch has not played since suffering a broken collarbone in Week 1.

Andy Dalton will get the start in Monday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Dalton signed a one-year, incentive-laden contract to serve as Prescott's backup this offseason, and the remainder of 2020 should be an audition for his next home.

The Cowboys have arguably the best skill-position talent in football, so Dalton should be able to step in and keep Dallas competitive in a weak NFC East.

"My role was a little different the first five games being behind Dak, but now it's like getting back to basically how it was for me," Dalton told reporters. "And so I know how to prepare; I've got a routine that I've been used to that I've done that I feel like has worked really well for me. It's not really a whole lot new that I'm trying to figure out. I've got the experience of doing this for a while."

Vander Esch's return could be critical for a Dallas defense that ranks at or near the bottom of the NFL in most major categories. The 24-year-old's last two seasons have been mired by injuries, stopping him from building on an All-Pro rookie campaign in 2018.

The Cowboys will need Vander Esch's presence to stabilize their front seven for the stretch run.