IRVING, Texas (AP) – Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dat Nguyen is considering retirement after being placed on the season-ending injured reserve list with neck and knee injuries.

“He doesn’t feel like he can play up to his standard now,” coach Bill Parcells said Monday. “I think he’s going to consider retirement.”

Nguyen missed three games this year with a strained neck, starting with the Oct. 9 game against Philadelphia that ended his 43-game starting streak. He played the past four games but didn’t start.

Nguyen, 30, is in his eighth season out of Texas A&M. He has 421 career tackles and led the Cowboys in tackles the past two seasons, the first player to do that since Ken Norton Jr. in 1992-93.

In addition to the neck injury, Nguyen has had knee problems.

“I think it’s an accumulation of things at this point,” Parcells said. “I just think he’s worn out. The first month he felt all right. It’s been downhill from there.”

The Cowboys have signed 12-year veteran Michael Barrow to take the roster spot.

Barrow hasn’t played this season after being released by Washington in July. Barrow had 148 tackles for the New York Giants in 2003 but didn’t play last year because of tendinitis in his knee. Parcells said he thinks Barrow is healthy and may play Sunday against the Giants.

AP-ES-11-28-05 1437EST