Cowboys’ Scandrick out for year with knee injury

Cornerback Orlando Scandrick was carted off the practice field Tuesday, and Pro Football Talk has confirmed that one of Cowboys’ top defenders is done for the season with a torn ACL. It’s believed to be a right knee injury for Scandrick, who was crying as he was carted off the field.

The Dallas Morning News reported that Scandrick’s knee buckled while the tried to tackle Lucky Whitehead, with the rookie wide receiver falling on Scandrick’s leg.

Losing Scandrick for a significant period of time would be a colossal blow to the Cowboys and their otherwise-vulnerable secondary.

The eighth-year player has 48 starts among his 102 games, with a career-high two interceptions each of the past two seasons. Jerome Henderson told the team’s website that Scandrick told him that it felt as though his ACL was torn.

Rookie cornerback Byron Jones is also an option there, but they like him more on the outside than in the slot.

Scandrick was injured in practice at training camp Tuesday in Oxnard.

Tony Romo, the Cowboys starting quarterback, posted his support for his teammate after the news of the injury. “I just hope the best for him”. Your the best bud.

“It’s next man up if he is out”, Henderson said. “You get a little emotional, because he’s one of your guys”.

The highly-regarded defensive back appears to have hurt his leg; but will it keep him from playing this season?

The Cowboys and Scandrick agreed to a contract extension in May.

“There’s a heightened sense of urgency every day”, coach Jason Garrett said earlier Tuesday, the first of three workouts before camp ends.

Brandon Carr now moves into the default No. 1 cornerback role after the Cowboys tried to get him to take a pay cut this offseason, so his value just increased in an ironic way.