Cowboys outside linebacker Marist Liufau is scheduled for surgery as early as Monday after fracturing his left forearm in Friday's preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium, ahead of Sunday's 53-man roster deadline.
Liufau was hurt in the first quarter while making a tackle in Dallas' 27-24 loss, with DallasCowboys.com's Tommy Yarrish placing the play late in the period. He finished in a sling and soft cast. The club must decide how to protect a 2024 third-round pick on cutdown day, including an IR designation that would keep him out to open the season.
Jones and Schottenheimer diverge on the wait
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and owner and general manager Jerry Jones offered different reads on the timeline.
Schottenheimer said Liufau would miss "weeks," according to ESPN. Yarrish's club-site account used "some weeks." Jones, who spoke with doctors after the injury, was more optimistic if surgery goes well. He said Liufau could return "quickly" because the fracture "is one that's in the right spot, and if you're going to have one, it's the one to have."
Schottenheimer framed the loss in roster terms. "Losing Marist as a football player is tough. Unfortunately, it's part of the business. You guys all know him and the way he'll attack his rehab, and so we'll get surgery done as soon as we can and next man up. But yeah, he was a critical, critical part of not just two or three special teams, really all four. He's a 'four-core' guy that you just rely on and he plays the game with violence, and we have some other guys in that locker room that do that as well," Schottenheimer said, per ESPN. He added, per Yarrish: "What a great competitor. He'll be back."
Edge conversion, special teams, and Sunday's IR decision
The timing hits a player midstream in a position change. Liufau moved from off-ball inside linebacker to the edge in Christian Parker's scheme this offseason after being drafted in the third round out of Notre Dame in 2024. He has played all 34 games in his first two NFL seasons.
