IRVING, Texas - The looming task of finalizing the 53-man roster just got a little tougher for Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips thanks to a "downer" in Thursday night's preseason finale.
The Cowboys edged Minnesota, 16-10, on a night reserved largely for the reserves at Texas Stadium. Twenty-eight players sat, including all but one projected starter (fullback Deon Anderson), enabling the coaching staff to evaluate nearly every fringe player on the roster before Saturday's cuts.
But now Phillips must decide how to replenish a near-barren receiving corps further hindered by the loss of third-year veteran Sam Hurd, who suffered an apparent high ankle sprain on a 35-yard reverse play in the first quarter and left the stadium in a protective boot.
"That's a real concern, certainly," Phillips said. "We were only going to play him for a series and he made a big play. That was the downer of the game."
Hurd, who will have an MRI exam on Friday, seemed confident he could return in time for the Sept. 7 season opener in Cleveland with proper rest and treatment. But team doctors project that he'll be doubtful for the game due to the lingering nature of a high ankle sprain, which involves the ligaments connecting the tibia and fibia on the lower leg. Generally that type of injury requires a week of evaluation before an accurate timetable can be set.
The Cowboys are down to two healthy receivers from last year's active roster - starters Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton, who did not play on Thursday. Third-year veteran Miles Austin could miss at least the first two regular-season games with a sprained MCL, and second-year wideout Isaiah Stanback's shoulder subluxation makes him highly doubtful for the opener.
Hurd, who went undrafted in 2006, had climbed into the No. Three spot as the only backup with starting experience. Now the Cowboys must strongly consider keeping rookie free agent Danny Amendola and/or first-year receiver Mike Jefferson, who caught a combined five passes from third-string quarterback Richard Bartel (28-of-41, 233 yards) against the Vikings.
Hurd's injury also means yet another core special teams player could be unavailable against Cleveland. Linebackers Kevin Burnett and Anthony Spencer (knee scopes) remain sidelined in addition to Austin and Stanback, who have kickoff-return experience.
The offense also could be without starting left guard Kyle Kosier (foot sprain, hairline fracture) for at least the first month of the season. Pat McQuistan and Cory Procter worked in Kosier's spot Thursday night, with McQuistan playing into the fourth quarter. Procter started at center in place of Andre Gurode (rest).
"Very disappointing," Hurd said. "I wanted to be there to help out the team. It's very disappointing that all of us receivers got hurt and for anybody to get hurt, but that's the name of the game."
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones guarded against ruling out Hurd for the opener until further notice. He also dismissed the idea of acquiring a veteran receiver for depth because that player probably wouldn't firmly grasp the offense before some combination of Hurd, Austin and Stanback return.
"We want people on the field with [Tony] Romo that Romo's been throwing to," Jones said. "We won't have anybody out there that has not been on the team trying to move the ball against Cleveland."
Free agent Terry Glenn is one exception, having played with Romo for five seasons before the Cowboys released him on the first day of training camp practice in Oxnard, Calif., due to his problematic right knee and questions about his conditioning. But Jones said he hasn't communicated with Glenn since a day or two into camp and doesn't know in what kind of shape he is.
When asked if he planned to contact Glenn, Jones was non-committal.
"I'm going to keep that to myself, one way or the other," Jones said.
Any team who signs Glenn before next Tuesday would have to guarantee his vested veteran salary for the entire season. In the short term, at least, the Cowboys must decide whether inexperienced receivers like Amendola and Jefferson will make the team.
Amendola's signing after the draft garnered much attention despite his undrafted status. He had a productive career at Texas Tech and drew size/speed/hands comparisons to fellow Red Raider alum Wes Welker.
Thursday night, he caught two passes for 17 yards, returned one kickoff for 22 yards and averaged nine yards on four punt returns. He muffed one ball, but the fumble was wiped out by a catch interference penalty on Minnesota.
"Of course coming into the deal, being a free agent, I always thought I could play at this level," he said. "When it's all said and done - camp's over, this final preseason game is over - I think I can play at this level."
With three backup receivers out, the Cowboys might need him to do just that in 10 days.
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