Cowboys' Leighton Vander Esch: Heading for neck surgery

Coach Jason Garrett confirmed Monday that Vander Esch will undergo a "minimally invasive" neck procedure and will be placed on injured reserve, Nick Shook of NFL Network reports.

Vander Esch missed the last five games due to the neck inflammation, and he'll undergo the surgery after recently being reevaluated. The good news is the 23-year-old is expected to be fully healthy in time for training camp. Vander Esch finished the 2019 campaign with 43 tackles (29 solo), a half-sack and a forced fumble in nine games.