With Sean Lee unlikely to play Sunday with a dislocated wrist, the Dallas Cowboys may have no choice but to get rookie second-round pick Bruce Carter on the field. Carter, a 6'2 240 LB from North Carolina, missed all of training camp and the first part of the season recovering from an ACL injury he sustained in college.
He made his NFL debut last week in Philadelphia on special teams, but he has yet to play a defensive snap.
"I think he has a long way to go," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. "He just hasn't played enough football in this scheme yet. I thought he did a really good job in the game as a special teams player, and he needs to get more and more comfortable playing on in the field in this defense. He's a smart guy. He does pick it up well in the meeting room. He just needs to have snaps at it and reps at it."
Unfortunately for Dallas, Lee's injury may force their hand. The Eagles repeatedly exploited the 30+ line-backing duo of Keith Brooking and Bradie James by attacking the middle of the field and forcing them to move in space in pass coverage.
Carter, who ran a 4.57 40 in college, will have to be ready to fill in for his older teammates in the Cowboys game against Seattle this Sunday.
"It's an opportunity for me to step up and show my teammates what I can do," Carter said. "I want to go in and fill that void."