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Latest Cowboys Player Notes

Sep 2 2010 - Sam Hurd
WR Sam Hurd has been asked about in trades, the Dallas Morning News reported. Hurd didn't decrease his value Thursday, catching a 43-yard TD pass from Stephen McGee against the Dolphins.

Sep 2 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant didn't play in Thursday's preseason finale, but he was a hot topic. As he promised, Bryant shook hands with Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland, who asked Bryant in a team interview prior to the draft if his mother was a prostitute.

Sep 1 2010 - Tony Romo
QB Tony Romo has completed 26 of 46 passes for 287 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions and a 64.3 passer rating in four preseason games. He has taken five sacks. The first-team offense has scored just one touchdowns on 12 possessions through four games and that came after an 80-yard fumble return by Barry Church. Last preseason Romo went 24 of 31 for 404 yards, no touchdowns, an interception, a 70.2 passer rating and four sacks. He then opened the regular season by going 16 of 27 for 353 yards and three touchdowns against the Bucs.

Sep 1 2010 - Alan Ball
FS Alan Ball: Ball is getting the first look as the starter at free safety in place of the departed Ken Hamlin. A converted cornerback who is considered undersized to play safety, Ball can handle the coverage responsibility. He has more range than Hamlin did and should be able to make more plays, which was key to the decision to let Hamlin go and give Ball a try at the position. However, he could be a liability in run support. The Cowboys are hoping they can handle the run with their front seven and not need Ball to play down in the box.

Sep 1 2010 - Sean Lee
LB Sean Lee was slowed in camp because of a college knee injury and a quad strain so much so that the expectations for him to immediately fill in as the third inside linebacker and nickel linebacker have been put on hold. He has not grasped the nuances of the passing game as fast as the Cowboys had hoped.

Sep 1 2010 - David Buehler
K David Buehler is going into the season as the fulltime kicker despite not having many opportunities in the preseason to prove himself. The Cowboys say he has kicked well in practice.

Sep 1 2010 - Stephen Hodge
LB Stephen Hodge was moved to the reserve/PUP list because he has yet to return to the field following microfracture surgery.

Sep 1 2010 - John Phillips
TE John Phillips was officially moved to injured reserve after having surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Sep 1 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant won't play in the Cowboys' final preseason game on Thursday. He announced he was ready to go this week up returning to practice, but owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday Bryant won't be on the field in the preseason to get him additional rest and recovery time to return from his sprained ankle.

Aug 31 2010 - Roy Williams
WR Roy Williams sat out Tuesday's practice with back and hip issues. Williams was sidelined just as rookie first-round pick Dez Bryant (ankle) returned to practice.

Aug 29 2010 - Kyle Kosier
OG Kyle Kosier (knee) and defensive end Marcus Spears (knee) did not make the trip to Houston. Colombo and Spears are expected to be ready for the season opener. Kosier could miss the first two games, although owner Jerry Jones is hopeful he will be ready for the season opener.

Aug 29 2010 - Marc Colombo
RT Marc Colombo (knee), left guard Kyle Kosier (knee) and defensive end Marcus Spears (knee) did not make the trip to Houston. Colombo and Spears are expected to be ready for the season opener. Kosier could miss the first two games, although owner Jerry Jones is hopeful he will be ready for the season opener.

Aug 29 2010 - Sam Young
RT Sam Young suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game against the Texans. He will have an MRI on Sunday.

Aug 29 2010 - Marion Barber
RB Marion Barber has just 23 yards on 12 carries in the preseason.

Aug 29 2010 - Marcus Spears
DE Marcus Spears will be back for the regular-season opener on Sept. 12 after missing much of the preseason with a sprained knee.

Aug 29 2010 - David Buehler
K David Buehler didn't attempt a field goal for the second straight preseason game. It hurts the team's ability to evaluate whether he can be the full-time kicker in the regular season. Buehler had made six of seven field goals through four games.

Aug 29 2010 - John Phillips
TE John Phillips will finally have surgery to repair his torn ACL on Tuesday. Phillips suffered the injury in the Aug. 8 Hall of Fame Game against Cincinnati. He will be put on injured reserved when the Cowboys make five roster moves to get down from 80 to 75 players on Tuesday. Phillips injury has been a setback for the tight end position as the Cowboys may just go with two players at the position on the final roster -- Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett. The Cowboys have four others on the roster -- DajLeon Farr, Jason Pociask, Martin Rucker and Scott Sicko. But none have impressed so far in the preseason.

Aug 29 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant will be cleared to practice this week and is available to play in the preseason final against the Dolphins after being out since the first week of camp with a high ankle sprain. Owner Jerry Jones said if the starters play in the preseason final then Bryant will play. If they don't, he might opt to have him sit out until the season opener. "He'll be able to play. Physically he will be ready to go," Jones said. "It's a question of if it's worth some of the risk. If we end up playing our regulars then that might make a difference. We might have thought differently if he had been out there without a full set of our players, but that might be something we'd consider since there's a chance our starters are out there." Bryant said he is ready to go. "If it was my decision, I'd play," Bryant said, "but I'm going to do whatever they tell me to do. If it's the best for me not to play, I won't be playing. If they need me, I'll play."

Aug 29 2010 - Tony Romo
QB Tony Romo will change how he calls audibles after an embarrassing fumble against the Texans. With a first down at the Houston 16, Romo changed the play at the line to a pitch left to running back Felix Jones, who didn't hear the audible. Jones went to take the handoff but Romo tossed the ball. The Texans recovered. Romo blamed it on the crowd noise and will now use a hand signal to backs in the future when changing the play. "You need to be able to signal something to the people that aren't near you," Romo said. "This should speed up the process. It's disappointing that happened, but it will benefit us in the long run to have things at our disposal."

Aug 29 2010 - Tony Romo
QB Tony Romo says the team can regain its swagger on the practice field if the offense is held out of Thursday's game against Miami. But the offense has one touchdown in 12 preseason possessions and that came after they were set up following an 80-yard fumble return against the Chargers. Romo was 13 of 18 for 149 yards with an interception, two sacks and two fumbles against the Texans. He had a quarterback rating of 72.9. "I don't think we played that well," Romo said. "We didn't run the ball well enough, we didn't execute well enough in the pass game, and we had too many mistakes. That was not our best showing, definitely, and we need to get better."

Aug 27 2010 - Orlando Scandrick
CB Orlando Scandrick has a broken nose and damaged cartilage. He's not likely to miss any time.

Aug 26 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant will test his injured ankle running routes during today's afternoon practice. Bryant said if everything goes well, he'll be back at practice early next week and play in the final preseason game against the Dolphins.

Aug 26 2010 - Kyle Kosier
OG Kyle Kosier could be back for the Sept. 12 opener, owner Jerry Jones said. Kosier has been sidelined with a sprained MCL in his right knee since Aug. 18. Montrae Holland would start at left guard if Kosier is unavailable.

Aug 26 2010 - Marc Colombo
OT Marc Colombo (knee) has been out since Aug. 16. Owner Jerry Jones said on Wednesday he expects Colombo will be recovered from a partial MCL tear in time to play in the Sept. 12 opener against the Redskins.

Aug 23 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant has been ruled out of the Cowboys' game with the Texans this weekend. He completed a more rigorous workout, including lateral and change-of-direction agility drills, but he's still being held out of live game action with the focus of being ready for the Sept. 12 opener against the Redskins.

Aug 22 2010 - Martin Rucker
TE Martin Rucker was signed to the roster on Friday as the Cowboys continue to seek answers for their injury-depleted tight end corps.

Aug 22 2010 - Keith Brooking
LB Keith Brooking suffered an injury to his shoulder (AC joint) against the Chargers. He doesn't think it's serious but he could be held out the final two preseason games.

Aug 22 2010 - Gerald Sensabaugh
FS Gerald Sensabaugh left the game in the first quarter against the Chargers with a shoulder injury. X-Rays were negative. But the Cowboys will be cautious with him and could keep him out the rest of the preseason.

Aug 22 2010 - David Buehler
PK David Buehler didn't get any opportunities to kick against the Chargers. So he didn't get a chance to remove the negative stench after he was 3-of-7 on field goals in last Thursday's practice. He needs to be almost perfect in practice and games to secure the job.

Aug 22 2010 - Barry Church
S Barry Church was impressive, replacing an injured Gerald Sensabaugh. He returned a fumble 80 yards.

Aug 22 2010 - Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
S Akwasi Owusu-Ansah made his preseason debut against the Chargers. He was rusty and had a fumble on a kick return. But he showed his potential and burst with a 45-yard punt return that was called back because of a penalty.

Aug 22 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant might not play in the preseason. Instead of trying to push him to play in one or two preseason games, Bryant might not return until start of the regular season, owner Jerry Jones said. Jones wants to ensure that Bryant is healthy and ready to go for the Redskins game Sept. 12 so they are weighing the benefits and risks of getting him reps in the preseason and keeping him on the sideline.

Aug 22 2010 - Tony Romo
QB Tony Romo survived a game playing behind a makeshift offensive line, the Cowboys' top concern has become getting an offense in rhythm and finally on a roll. Romo threw a 9-yard touchdown pass from Romo to No. 1 wide receiver Miles Austin. It was the first score by the first-team offense in three preseason games. It also quieted some of the concerns about the team's inability to score touchdowns in the red zone, which drew attention dating back to last season. "Yeah it was good to score," Romo said. "We needed a touchdown, just for confidence in the preseason but also in this game. But we struggled a little bit in the beginning (and) we needed to do something good there."

Aug 21 2010 - Kyle Kosier
OG Kyle Kosier might be out until Week 5 with a sprained MCL in his right knee, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reported. Kosier has little chance of playing by Sept. 12, when the Cowboys open the regular season. Montrae Holland is likely to start at left guard.

Aug 18 2010 - Kyle Kosier
OG Kyle Kosier has a sprained MCL in his right knee and could be sidelined for a month. Kosier starts at left guard for the Cowboys, who are breaking in a new left tackle -- Doug Free -- and have already lost right tackle Marc Colombo to a knee injury for several weeks.

Aug 17 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant won't necessarily play in the preseason even if his sprained ankle permits him to return to the field. Owner Jerry Jones said the team might choose not to risk having him injured in a meaningless game.

Aug 16 2010 - Marc Colombo
OT Marc Colombo was carted off the field with a right knee injury Sunday, and owner Jerry Jones told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the right tackle will need surgery to repair loose cartilage. The recovery time is likely be three to four weeks. Alex Barron, the No. 2 right tackle, is out with an ankle injury.

Aug 16 2010 - Martellus Bennett
TE Martellus Bennett (ankle) returned to practice after missing the first two preseason games. Bennett looked good in the session, moving with ease and making catches in traffic. In additino to Bennett, the Cowboys have had to deal with several injuries at the position.

Aug 15 2010 - Marc Colombo
OT Marc Colombo was carted off the field with a right knee injury Sunday. The starter at right tackle has loose cartilage in the knee, which could necessitate a scope. The recovery time would likely be three to four weeks. Alex Barron, the No. 2 right tackle, is out with an ankle injury.

Aug 15 2010 - David Buehler
K David Buehler has looked good so far in the preseason, making six of seven attempts. But he has still has a long way to go to win the job. "He's looked awfully good," coach Wade Phillips said. "And he knows if he misses a 30- or 40-yarder it would be the biggest thing in the world in Dallas. It puts pressure on him to come through."

Aug 15 2010 - Jason Pociask
TE Jason Pociask will be added to roster to shore up the injury-ravaged position. Pociask was a 2006 fifth-round pick of the Jets. He spent one season with the Jets but since bounced around the practice squad or offseason rosters of the Patriots, Buccaneers, Colts, Panthers and Seahawks. The 6-foot-3, 259-pound blocking tight end was most recenlty with the Florida Tuskers of the UFL. He is coming to Dallas to help shore up a position group that has the Cowboys practicing with only two healthy tight ends, Jason Witten and the recently signed DajLeon Farr. Martellus Bennett (ankle), Scott Sicko (concussion) and John Phillips (knee) are all sidelined. The Cowboys are being cautious with Bennett after he had a setback with his sprained ankle earlier in camp. Sicko will likely be out another week, while Phillips is out for the season. Pociask brings the Cowboys back to the 80-man roster limit.

Aug 15 2010 - Martellus Bennett
TE Martellus Bennett had a setback with his sprained ankle, which has kept him out of the first two preseason games. The Cowboys are being cautious with him now with the focus of making sure he is healthy for the season opener.

Aug 15 2010 - Dez Bryant
WR Dez Bryant, who was expected to be out 4-6 weeks after spraining his right ankle in practice July 30, might play in the final two exhibition games, owner Jerry Jones said.

Aug 12 2010 - Martin Rucker
TE Martin Rucker was waived when he failed his physical.

Aug 12 2010 - DajLeon Farr
TE DajLeon Farr will have only one full practice under his belt entering Thursday's game against the Raiders, but he'll be on the field most of the game. Farr is one of two healthy tight ends -- Jason Witten is the other -- entering the game. Farr signed Wednesday with John Phillips (ACL), Kevin Brock (waived with an ankle injury) and Scott Sicko (concussion) all out or unlikely to play. Martellus Bennett, the No. 2 tight end, is sitting with an ankle injury because the team doesn't want him to push it in the preseason.

Aug 12 2010 - Martellus Bennett
TE Martellus Bennett won't play Thursday against the Raiders. Bennett was held out of the Sunday's preseason game against the Bengals because he is still bothered by a sprained ankle that kept him out the first week of training camp.

Aug 11 2010 - John Phillips
TE John Phillips, who was ruled out for the season, said tests confirmed he has a torn ACL in his right knee.

Aug 10 2010 - DajLeon Farr
TE DajLeon Farr was singed by the Cowboys. He had been released by the Chargers on Aug. 3.

Aug 10 2010 - Martin Rucker
TE Martin Rucker was assigned on waivers to the Buccaneers Tuesday after being waived by the Eagles on Monday. The Cowboys also put in a claim for Rucker, but the Bucs had priority because they had a worse record in 2009.

Aug 9 2010 - John Phillips
TE John Phillips, who had four catches fr 60 yards in the Hall of Fame Game Sunday night, will miss the season with a torn ACL in his knee. Phillips was the No. 3 tight end behind Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett.