SAN ANTONIO - Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has good news and bad news about his cornerback situation.
First the good: His potential starting lineup of Terence Newman (strained groin) and Mike Jenkins (sprained ankle) is day-to-day with what appear to be relatively minor injuries. It's Aug. 9, 35 days before the team's Sept. 13 regular-season opener at Tampa Bay, presumably plenty of time for both to get healthy.
Now the bad: It's Aug. 9, four days before the team's Aug. 13 preseason opener, and only five healthy cornerbacks practiced Sunday. Two of them, Alan Ball and rookie DeAngelo Smith, began training camp at safety.
Depth is a concern, at least for the next few days until Newman and/or Jenkins return.
"I'm not worried long term," Phillips said, "but short term we've got a game coming up fairly quick."
Both sat out Sunday's single full practice. Phillips said the team will remain "cautious" with the 30-year-old Newman, who's had injuries the past two camps and missed six games last season with a different type of groin/abdominal issue. At this point it seems unlikely that the six-year starter will play Thursday against the Raiders, even if he's physically capable.
Jenkins is moving around better since injuring his right ankle in team drills Saturday, but his game status is also uncertain. The Cowboys would like Jenkins, a first-round pick in 2008, to get significant preseason reps and continue competing with Orlando Scandrick for the starting job opposite Newman. But they won't rush him back, either.
Further depleting the position is Michael Hawkins' bruised patella. The third-year corner, signed as a future's free agent in the off-season, hasn't practiced since the first week of camp and "is not getting any closer" to returning, Phillips said.
With those three unavailable, the Cowboys will simply give more reps to their younger players. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said Saturday the team isn't looking to sign another corner at this point.
Scandrick and third-year veteran Courtney Brown are practicing with the first-team defense. Behind them are Smith and seventh-round pick Mike Mickens, the two rookies out of Cincinnati. Phillips will finalize his rotations this week, but both should get significant playing time in their NFL debuts.
"I'm ready," Smith said. "I want to show what I can do and try to help the team out."
Scandrick likely will continue moving into the slot in nickel situations, with Mickens replacing him outside. Scandrick handled the slot almost exclusively as a rookie last year and will do the same even if he wins a starting job.
"I'm just going to come out here and try and improve every day," Scandrick said. "Right now we're all tired and I just want to grind through it and take the little things and improve my technique and not lose my focus at all, whether Mike (Jenkins) is out here or not."
The Cowboys also could use Ball at corner Thursday. He's taking some sub-package reps but is still working at safety in the second-team base defense.
Ball's primary experience is at corner; he hasn't played safety full-time since his freshman year in college. The Cowboys like his competitiveness and instincts at both positions.
"I feel comfortable with him," secondary coach Dave Campo said. "He'd have to have a few practices just to get back to the speed of the one-on-one stuff outside, but he knows the defense. He's been with Wade three years now, so the defensive part of it for him going to corner is not going to be an issue."
Preseason games are often the best chance for young and fringe players to earn a roster spot. This week, the Cowboys will learn more about the quality of their depth - at corner in particular.
"The first preseason game is always interesting for me," Phillips said. "I tell them all they have a fair chance to make the team, and I think they do. But this first game is really important for them because if you're not a starter coming back, to make a name for yourself you need to do it early."
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