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Dallas Cowboys declining fifth-year option on LB Leighton Vander Esch, agent says

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys will not pick up Leighton Vander Esch's fifth-year option in 2022, according to his agent, Ron Slavin, which will make the 2018 first-round pick an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season.

Injury is the biggest reason why. Vander Esch missed 13 games the last two seasons, including a neck injury that required surgery in 2019 and cost him seven games. He missed six games in 2020 because of a broken collarbone. If the Cowboys picked up the option, the $9.1 million would have been fully guaranteed.

Before officially deciding to decline the option, executive vice president Stephen Jones said during draft weekend the team would still like to keep Vander Esch beyond 2021 if they did not add the fifth year, but that will depend on how he plays.