What's The Scoop: Cowboys team physician Dr. Dan Cooper will return to Dallas Friday to perform arthroscopic surgery on the left knee of linebacker Kevin Burnett.
The operation will remove chipped cartilage in the knee caused by bone spurs that developed over time. Dr. Cooper and Cowboys trainer Britt Brown were both confident the linebacker could return for the regular-season opener, Sept. 7.
"He was down," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said, suggesting Burnett first thought the knee problem was potentially season-ending. "He thought he was injured, but he's just hurt."
This will be the sixth surgery for Burnett since the Cowboys selected him in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. It will be the third knee surgery in that time. He first tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the left knee in college at Tennessee. Since joining the Cowboys Burnett has had work done on his shoulder, hip, ankle and right ACL.
Despite all the surgeries, Burnett has missed just three games as a Cowboy - all in 2005. He had a similar scope performed on his left knee on Sept. 8 of that year and missed the first two games, and tore his right ACL on Dec. 28, missing the season finale.
Burnett is the first linebacker on the team's dime defense, a set where the Cowboys deploy six defensive backs, four down linemen and just one linebacker. Starting linebackers Bradie James and Zach Thomas worked in the dime role during today's practice, as did Bobby Carpenter, who has worked behind Burnett during camp.
There was some thought Burnett and the team's trainers could manage the pain caused by the bone spurs through the season with regular treatments, but the linebacker left Wednesday's morning practice as the discomfort level became too high.
Quick Shots:
Cowboys outside linebacker Anthony Spencer (bone bruise) said he wasn't sure if he would be returning to practice this afternoon. Wade Phillips said yesterday he thought the second-year pass rusher was close to a return. Spencer has been out of practice since bumping knees with someone during Saturday's game in San Diego.
Cowboys cornerback Quincy Butler was held out of his second straight workout. He practiced during Wednesday's morning session but sat in the afternoon. If the plan is to give him one practice a day until he rounds into shape, he should be ready to work for today's 5:40 p.m. (CDT) session.
Wide receiver Terrell Owens and starting offensive tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo returned to practice this morning. All three were held out of Wednesday's second session for rest purposes.
Brandon Marshall came out to practice with a piece of tape on his pads that read: "Adam's No (Pacman)" - with the Pacman being represented by a drawing of the yellow ghost-eating video game character. This, a day after his message read "21's No Champ," in response to a Jones comment.
You Should've Seen: These joint practices are starting to heat up: Flozell Adams jerked the helmet off a Broncos defender and began to swing it at him. Players from both teams ran to break up the scrum, and it was hard to tell which Bronco was the recipient of the mugging. Adams had a nearly identical incident involving then-teammate Ebenezer Ekuban at camp in 2001. Ekuban now plays for Denver.
Who's Hot: Mike Jefferson. Quietly, the first-year receiver just keeps making plays. Thursday he had a nice toe-dragging touchdown catch from Brad Johnson while working against Denver cornerback Wale Dada. In the first preseason game his downfield effort to seal off San Diego corner Antoine Cason was the crucial block in Tashard Choice's 19-yard touchdown run.
Who's Not: Darrell Robertson. The rookie free agent linebacker hasn't exactly been lighting up camp, and his inability to flow toward a sweep play during 9-on-7 running drills drew harsh scrutiny from Reggie Herring, the linebackers coach screaming "Get your ass outside!"
Injury Update: CB Terence Newman, groin - out three weeks (7/28)
LB Anthony Spencer, bone bruise - day-to-day (8/11)
LB Kevin Burnett, knee - out three-to-four weeks (8/13)
DE Marcus Dixon, back - day-to-day (8/5)
CB Quincy Butler, hamstring - practice limited (8/13)
Missed Practice: CB Terence Newman (groin)
LB Anthony Spencer (bone bruise)
LB Kevin Burnett (knee)
DE Marcus Dixon (back)
CB Quincy Butler (hamstring)
Transactions: WR Todd Lowber, signed (7/27)
WR Terry Glenn, waived (7/25)
QB Jeff Terrell, signed (7/25)
LB Khari Long, waived (7/24)
Wade's Best: "She's in 'Hell Ride' now." When asked about daughter Tracy Phillips' dancer role in the film "Charlie Wilson's War."
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