Jason Hatcher was able to take part in individual drills for the first time since hyperextending his elbow in practice Saturday afternoon and he said it felt OK afterward. He could be cleared full-go pretty quickly.
"We're working our way back into it," Hatcher said.
While Hatcher is closer to a full return, backup guard Montrae Holland has a hamstring strain. He left practice early and he could need a few days to recover. The Cowboys have Pat McQuistan, Travis Bright and rookies Mike Tepper, Phil Costa taking snaps as the backup guards. Bright has spent most of camp at center.
Stephen Hodge is not as close to returning as it looked, considering he was in practice pants and a jersey, but no pads or shells on Saturday. The earliest he could return would be when the team gets to California and that's on Aug. 13.
** Players were in shoulder pads and shorts in the afternoon session. Brandon Williams was off because he's not taking part in back to backs. L.P. Ladouceur (sick) was back after sitting out the morning workout. Jason Hatcher (elbow) and Josh Brent (hand) took part in individual drills.
** Teddy Williams had a welcome-to-football moment when he was hit by wide receiver Titus Ryan on a kickoff return and fumbled. The large crowd gasped after the hit. The track star then bobbled his next kickoff return.
** David Buehler was 5-of-6 on his field goal tries. He was wide right from 49 yards and made the kicks from 27, 35, 41, 45 and 51 yards.
** Look for rookie linebacker Sean Lee to return soon from his quadriceps strain. He began resistance training with associate athletic trainer Britt Brown and was wearing his knee brace.
** The offense struggled in the afternoon in the red zone, just as it did in the morning. In team drills, Tony Romo completed 3 of 9 passes. He just was off all day and it's that time in camp where a quarterback's arm starts to feel it from all of the throwing. He did end the drill with a touchdown throw to Miles Austin on a bubble screen.
** Backup guard Montrae Holland left practice early with a strained hamstring. He could miss a few days but it's not considered too serious.
** Running back Herb Donaldson had an eye-catching afternoon session with his burst and power. Too bad he is at the team's deepest position but there is some talent there.
** Manny Johnson had a nice afternoon with back to back touchdown catches from Jon Kitna in seven on seven drills. The first was on a 20-yard strike in front of Mike Jenkins and the second was a one-handed grab on Terence Newman. A third attempt for a TD was thwarted by safety Gerald Sensabaugh.
** Martellus Bennett made it through his first two-a-day of camp and had a drop on a Jon Kitna throw in team drills over the middle, but he is off to a good start.
** Kitna's best throw was a deep drag to the sideline to Patrick Crayton who tippy toed the sideline with Orlando Scandrick on his back.
** There was some defensive confusion among the first team when the running back motioned wide. Bradie James and Keith Brooking both went wide, stopped and finally Brooking left to take the tight end in the slot and Sensabaugh took the running back wide. No matter, the throw went to the other side of the field.
** Kevin Ogletree had a nice run on a double reverse, taking the handoff from Roy Williams, but there might have been a Doug Free hold that could have called the play back.
** A sign of Jay Ratliff's quickness: he was able to track Marion Barber down from behind on a checkdown from Romo.
Interpreting Jerry Jones on Patrick Crayton
It's funny how two people can hear the same conversation and think two different things.
This morning owner and general manager Jerry Jones was asked if Patrick Crayton's spot on the team was safe with Dez Bryant suffering a high right ankle sprain.
Here's the answer:
"I don't want to go there," Jones said. "He's on the team. He's got a contract, and that's been my stance from the very beginning. He's there."
One interpretation was that Jones wouldn't guarantee a roster spot to Crayton.
That wasn't my interpretation. I think Jones was thrown some by the question because in his mind Crayton has never been OFF the roster even as the wideout skipped the voluntary stuff in the off-season. The Cowboys never seriously considered trading Crayton, even though they gave his agent a chance to find a suitor.
They realize his value and they realize how injuries happen.
While the "I don't want to go there," suggests otherwise, I think the "He's there," means he'll be on the 53.
As he rehabs, Dez Bryant will become more of a student
Dez Bryant will be in a protective boot for the next two weeks because of his high right ankle sprain and he will also be even more acquainted with wide receivers coach Ray Sherman.
Bryant watched most of practice while standing next to Sherman as they went over each play and what would be his responsibility.
"That's what we have to do because he's not going to be on the field," Sherman said. "He'll be in all of the meetings and he'll be out on the field watching."
Sherman said he noticed a little frustration in Bryant after the rookie suffered the injury on Saturday.
"He was frustrated because he wants to play in the preseason games," Sherman said. "That's what he was looking forward to, but he's good now."
