Source: Cowboys fear CB Orlando Scandrick has ACL tear

— -- OXNARD, Calif. -- The Dallas Cowboys might be forced to play the 2015 season without their best cornerback, Orlando Scandrick, who left Tuesday's practice with a right knee injury.

According to a source close to Scandrick, the cornerback fears he tore the right anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday at a local hospital. If he needs surgery, his season would be over and it would leave the Cowboys with a gaping hole in their secondary.

"He said immediately, 'It's my ACL. I know it. It's gone,'" secondary coach Jerome Henderson said after practice.

Scandrick's knee buckled as he broke on a pass intended for Lucky Whitehead. The rookie receiver's momentum carried him into the cornerback, who was already going to the ground.

Safety Barry Church immediately called for the athletic training staff and practice was briefly delayed as they attended to Scandrick. He remained on the ground, screaming and covering his face as he was put on a cart and taken to the locker room.

Quarterback Tony Romo was among those offering best wishes to Scandrick via Twitter.

Scandrick started practice with his first interception of training camp, coming down with a Romo pass intended for Terrance Williams. His start to training camp was slowed by a sore left knee that needed to be drained, but last week he said he finally felt back to 100 percent. He blamed the soreness on missing the early part of the offseason program while looking to get a reworked contract. The Cowboys signed him to a one-year extension that included a $3 million signing bonus.

He played 12 snaps in Sunday's preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

After practice, the Cowboys' defensive backs knelt in prayer for a moment. Church and safety J.J. Wilcox did not want to comment after practice. Morris Claiborne, who suffered a season-ending torn patellar in Week 4 last season, knows what Scandrick was feeling.

"You can feel when your knee is not functioning right," Claiborne said. "I heard it in his voice because I've been there. I know that feeling. I actually felt myself go back to then after just sitting there looking at him, holding his hand. He's squeezing, I know that feeling."

If the fears of Scandrick and the Cowboys are realized, then second-year cornerback Tyler Patmon likely would take over in the slot. Free-agent pickup Corey White also could see time there as well.