Cowboys' Leighton Vander Esch: Suffers groin strain Thursday

Vander Esch left practice early Thursday after suffering a groin strain during team drills, the Dallas Morning News reports. Owner Jerry Jones indicated afterward that, "it didn't seem serious," also indicating that he was held out for precautionary reasons.

Fortunately, it appears Vander Esch has escaped serious damage and should be back in the fold in short order. The rookie first-round pick will likely be utilized in some capacity this fall, though he's worked mainly with the second-team defense at middle linebacker behind Jalen Smith during camp.