Cowboys' John Stephens: Contract reinstated, placed on IR
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The previously terminated contract between the Cowboys and Stephens (undisclosed) was reinstated Thursday, and he has been placed on injured reserve, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Stephens was initially waived by the Cowboys on Monday, but that transaction has been reversed and he'll start the regular season on injured reserve. The 25-year-old tight end will be required to miss at least the first four games of the season, which makes Week 5 against the Jets on Sunday, Oct. 5 the earliest he can play. Stephens has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game since signing with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in May 2023.
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John Stephens: Cut by Dallas
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The Cowboys waived Stephens on Monday, Joe Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Stephens appeared in just one preseason game this summer, catching three passes for 26 yards on 14 offensive snaps. Undrafted out of Louisiana last year, Stephens ended up tearing his ACL in practice last October. He'll look for an opportunity elsewhere.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Participating in training camp
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Stephens (knee) is participating in Dallas' training camp, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Stephens is practicing again after having recovered from a torn ACL he suffered in practice last October. The 2023 undrafted free agent has yet to appear in a regular-season game but will have a chance to make his debut should he earn a spot on the team's final roster.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Shifts to IR
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The Cowboys placed Stephens (knee) on injured reserve Saturday, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Stephens is done for the 2024 season after suffering a left ACL tear in practice Wednesday. He missed the entire 2023 campaign due to an ACL tear in the same knee, a reality that leaves the 2023 UDFA out of Louisiana with a difficult road to recovery. He remains under contract with Dallas through the 2025 season.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Past hamstring issue
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Stephens (hamstring) was left off Monday's injury report, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Stephens missed the Cowboys' first three contests due to a hamstring issue, but it now appears he's moved past the injury. The 25-year-old projects to serve as Dallas' fourth-string tight end, so he will likely contribute most of his value on special teams as the season progresses.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Not playing Sunday
Rotowire
Stephens (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's game against Baltimore.
Stephens was limited in all three practices this week but he will not play Sunday, and his next chance at playing will be Thursday against the Giants. The Cowboys will roll with three tight ends Sunday in Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Returns to practice Wednesday
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Stephens (hamstring) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Stephens has been held out of the Cowboys' first two games of the season due to a hamstring injury. He hasn't been able to practice over the last two weeks, so his limited participation Wednesday is an upgrade and bodes well for his chances of making his NFL debut Sunday against the Ravens. Stephens is the Cowboys' No. 4 tight end behind Jake Ferguson (knee), Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Out Week 1
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Stephens (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Browns, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
The 24-year-old tight end was unable to practice all week due to a hamstring injury, so it's no surprise that he won't suit up for the Cowboys' regular-season opener Sunday. Expect Brevyn Spann-Ford to see additional playing time in Stephens' stead.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Misses practice due to hamstring
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Stephens (hamstring) isn't practicing Wednesday, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports.
Stephens will have two more opportunities to return to practice, but he's in danger of missing Sunday's regular-season opener against the Browns. The 24-year-old tight end has yet to see regular-season action for the Cowboys, as he missed his entire 2023 rookie season due to a torn ACL.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Making push for No. 2 job
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Stephens has had a strong training camp so far and is pushing for the No. 2 spot on the Cowboys' tight end depth chart, Jon Machota and Saad Yousef of The Athletic report.
Jake Ferguson is locked into the starting job, but after that the Dallas depth chart is unsettled. Luke Schoonmaker was a second-round pick in 2023 but has had trouble staying healthy to begin his career and is already battling a groin issue in camp. Peyton Hendershot (shoulder) has shown flashes as a pass-catching option but is also not 100 percent healthy. That's opened up reps for Stephens, a converted wide receiver who was an undrafted free agent in 2023 but made a good early impression last year before suffering a torn ACL in the preseason that cost him the entire campaign. Fully recovered from the knee injury, Stephens has seen reps with the first-team offense and looks capable of providing solid depth behind Ferguson.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Limited for OTAs
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Stephens (knee) will be working on the side as the Cowboys open OTAs on Wednesday, as he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered last August, Nick Harris of the team's official site reports.
Last May, Stephens signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana, but he lost any chance he had at making the team due to the season-ending injury suffered in a preseason contest. Though still not 100 percent healthy, the 24-year-old tight end is getting closer to full strength.
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Cowboys' John Stephens: Season is over
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Stephens is out for the season with a torn ACL, Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Stephens injured his knee in the third quarter of Saturday's loss to Seattle and will now miss the entirety of the season. Signed as an undrafted free agent in May, the 23-year-old was making a strong push for a spot on the Week 1 roster, but he will now have to wait until next year to try to make his NFL debut.
