The Dallas Cowboys placed defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on injured reserve due to a foot injury on Tuesday, which means he will be out for at least four games. He was the team’s second-best pass rusher after Micah Parsons.
To fill Lawrence’s spot on the roster, the Cowboys signed defensive end K.J. Henry from Cincinnati’s practice squad. Parsons is also likely to miss the game on Sunday night against Pittsburgh because of a sprained ankle.
Both Lawrence and Parsons got injured in the second half of last week’s 20-15 win over the New York Giants. Dallas has a bye week during Lawrence’s first four weeks on injured reserve.
This is only the second major injury for Lawrence in the past eight seasons, as he had issues with injuries early in his career. The 32-year-old will see his streak of 44 consecutive starts end against the Steelers.
Rookie second-round draft pick Marshawn Kneeland and veterans Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston were the other defensive ends who played besides Lawrence and Parsons in the game against the Giants. Tyrus Wheat is on the 53-man roster but has been inactive for the last two games.
Henry is a second-year player who was drafted in the fifth round by Washington in 2023. He was let go at the end of the preseason after playing 10 games for the Commanders last season. Henry has appeared in two games for the Bengals.
