This is not good news if you are a fan of Sean Lee.
With the regular season just one week away, the Cowboys are likely going to be without the veteran linebacker against the Los Angeles Rams. This should not come as a huge surprise since Lee has not practiced once this year.
According to Dallas Morning News reporter, Michael Gehlken, the Cowboys will place Lee on the injured reserve to start the season. According to Gehlken, Lee is recovering from a sports hernia.
As of now, there is no timetable for Lee’s return. It’s assumed this is a major concern since he has not participated in training camp.
“Cowboys LB Sean Lee is expected to begin the season on injured reserve, sources said,” said Gehlken on Twitter. “CB Jourdan Lewis is among the other candidates under a new rule that allows for quicker and unlimited IR activations.”
The good news is that Lee does not have a knee injury, which is something that has occurred over the length of his career.
The 33-year old resigned with the Cowboys this offseason. Originally, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Lee had accepted a reduction in base salary to $3.5 million, which would have been less than the near $10 million that Lee was due to earn.
Instead, Lee’s contract is heavily incentive-laden. According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the breakdown for his contract goes as followed. Lee will earn a base salary of $2 million. He could earn $500,000 if he makes the 53-man roster, $1 million if he makes the 46-man roster, $1 million if he plays 80% of the time, and an extra $500,000 if he plays 80% of the time and the playoffs.