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7 Cowboys Who’ve Gone Missing to Begin the Season

We're only three weeks into the 2024 NFL season and these seven Dallas Cowboys players are already missing without a trace.

By Devon Platana

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) celebrates his first down run against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) celebrates his first down run against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
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6. Jordan Phillips, DT

The Cowboys did little to address their defense earlier in the offseason, instead waiting until August to acquire a handful of veteran defenders. One of those happened to be Jordan Phillips, who was shipped to Dallas from the rival New York Giants in a trade that featured two draft picks.

Even if Phillips' best days are behind him, Cowboys fans expected the 6-foot-6, 330-pound defender to at least provide reliable support to the D-line. Instead, Phillips barely moved the needle through the team's first two outings, registering a single assisted tackle across 34 defensive snaps.

Much like Smith, Phillips hasn't earned any respect from analytic lovers like PFF. His 29.6 defense grade is the third-worst mark at his position while his 26.2 run defense grade is the second-worst.

Making matters worse is the fact that Phillips will remain invisible after being placed on the injured reserve with a wrist injury. Considering how bad the Cowboys' run defense has been with the former 2015 second-rounder in the lineup, time will tell if his absence improves or further worsens the situation.

If the team's ground defense does improve while he's sidelined, it's going to be tough for Phillips to earn playing time upon his return (barring a major turnaround).

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