Cowboys Place Malachi Lawrence on Injured Reserve
Dallas activates Marist Liufau from injured reserve as Lawrence, the 23rd overall pick, faces at least four games out with a high-ankle sprain.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Football
The Dallas Cowboys placed outside linebacker Malachi Lawrence on injured reserve after he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The team also activated Marist Liufau from injured reserve to the active roster.
Why it matters
Lawrence, a first-round selection out of UCF, is a key piece of the Cowboys' pass rush, and his absence shifts snaps toward Davis Ezeiruaku, who is expected to return to the starting lineup. The moves reshape the linebacker rotation for the stretch run.
Lawrence, selected 23rd overall out of UCF, has 13 tackles and one sack through eight games and must miss at least four games under injured reserve. Liufau, a third-round pick from Notre Dame in 2024, logged 80 tackles, 2.5 sacks and three pass breakups over his first two seasons, but the Cowboys have not said how much he will play upon return.
The players
Malachi Lawrence
Malachi Lawrence is a Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker and the 23rd overall pick out of UCF, whose early development has been closely watched by the team.
Marist Liufau
Marist Liufau is a Dallas Cowboys linebacker and third-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2024, now moved to outside linebacker.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise based in Dallas, Texas, and a member of the NFL's National Football Conference East division.
The details
Lawrence suffered a high-ankle sprain in Dallas' loss to the Arizona Cardinals and was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Liufau, who fractured his forearm against the New Orleans Saints in the preseason finale, was activated after his 21-day practice window opened a couple of weeks ago, and he has been moved to outside linebacker this year. Caleb Downs left the Week 8 game with concussion symptoms but has since cleared concussion protocol.
Timeline
Week 8: Lawrence suffers a high-ankle sprain and Downs leaves with concussion symptoms in the loss to Arizona.
Saturday: Lawrence is placed on injured reserve and Liufau is activated to the active roster.
Week 9: Dallas prepares to face the Indianapolis Colts, with Downs expected to play.
After Thanksgiving: Earliest possible return date for Lawrence.
Season Trajectory
Under NFL injured reserve rules, Lawrence must miss at least four games, which pushes his earliest return to after Thanksgiving and reshapes Dallas' linebacker depth through the middle of the season. The move tightens an already contested race for pass-rush production across the NFC East.
Fantasy managers rostering Ezeiruaku should expect a larger role now that Lawrence is out for at least four games. Lawrence's absence also changes the snap distribution across Dallas' edge rotation for the coming weeks.
The takeaway
Injury depth at linebacker is now the swing factor for Dallas' pass rush, so monitor the Week 9 injury report before setting fantasy lineups or rotation expectations.
What happens next
Lawrence is eligible to return after at least four games, with the earliest possible return after Thanksgiving, and Dallas faces the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9.
Further reading
For more on the team's injury situation, see the latest Football coverage from Dallas.
