IRVING, Texas - Fourth receiver seems to be a position of high turnover for the Cowboys right now. First, Miles Austin sprains his MCL against Denver last Saturday, and now Isaiah Stanback hurts his left shoulder in Friday's win over the Houston Texans, likely out a minimum of two weeks - maybe more.
Stanback, who injured his left shoulder in the same exact fashion he did last season - running back a kickoff - will eventually need surgery, but trainers are waiting to see if he first could play through the season. The rehab process without surgery will be at least two weeks long.
With fourth receivers dropping like flies, roster hopefuls such as Danny Amendola and Mike Jefferson might be hesitant to take on the role for fear of falling victim to the curse. But they're not scared, and right now having them step up is exactly what the Cowboys need.
Both Amendola, an undrafted rookie out of Texas Tech, and Jefferson, a practice squader last season in his rookie year, made plays in Friday night's game. Neither has played all that much in the first two games, and neither has produced much, either. But Friday night, they were on fire, Jefferson pulling in three passes for 33 yards and Amendola netting one catch for 35 yards.
With two receivers out until the beginning of the regular season, the Cowboys might be forced to go long at the wide receiver position and possibly start scouring the waiver wire once teams start cutting their rosters, scheduled to be down to 75 by Tuesday afternoon and then 53 on Saturday.
Starters Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton are locks, along with Hurd at this point, and you would think so are Austin and Stanback unless their injuries turn more serious than they currently appear. When healthy, those five would probably fill out the position, since head coach Wade Phillips said he would usually only keep four active for games.
But now only three of those five appear healthy enough to play in the season opener on Sept. 7, meaning either Amendola or Jefferson could be kept on the roster for depth purposes as a sixth receiver just in case - or as a fifth if Austin or Stanback land on injured reserve.
That, though, is assuming the two youngsters are ready to fill that spot. While Austin seemed on the verge of putting it all together, Stanback was relatively unpolished since he continues to make the transition from quarterback to receiver. Neither Amendola or Jefferson have the physical gifts Stanback possesses, and their technique is only slightly more refined.
Both young receivers said they can answer the call, but label themselves as works in progress.
"I'm confident that I could come in and contribute, but there's still a long way to go to get there for the season," Jefferson said after Friday's game at Texas Stadium. "I've got to get myself into a little bit better shape. I was a little tired out there."
The coaching staff is encouraged by both receivers' performances, and if they had or currently have any depth concerns, no one's ever voiced them. But that encouragement is tempered by the recognition that both players can get better.
"They have to continue to improve, and continue to prove to us that they can get it done if called upon," offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said. "(Friday's game) was another step for both of them."
What Austin and Stanback immediately provided was a deep threat, each possessing blazing speed. Jefferson is more of a possession receiver, making some nice catches under tight coverage Friday, but Amendola's single catch was the longest reception of the game.
And while some believe Amendola can be that burner, he doesn't want get ahead of himself.
"I'm still in a situation to try to make the squad," Amendola said. "I'm just trying to find a role for myself on this team, whether it be the fourth receiver, the fifth - it doesn't matter to me. I'm just tying to make a role for myself."
For Amendola, that role could come on kick-off return, where he received a few opportunities Friday after Stanback left the game. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has been reluctant to let first-round draft choice and talented return man Felix Jones return kicks for fear of injury, and besides cornerback Adam Jones, who has yet to be reinstated, Amendola is the only one with some experience. He fielded mostly punts in college, although he said he had kick-off experience his first two years and did return two kickoffs Friday night, as did fellow rookie Orlando Scandrick.
The biggest adjustment Jefferson and Amendola may have to make will not be the level of competition they face (if a fourth receiver is in, a fourth corner is for the other side), but the level of talent they play along side. Both receivers said they're most comfortable catching passes from backup quarterbacks Brad Johnson and Richard Bartel, although they have experience with starter Tony Romo. They have relatively little experience, though, playing with Owens, Crayton and Hurd.
That offensive group has taken plenty of reps together, and if changes need to be made on the fly, such as in the two-minute drill, those three are all on the same page. Jefferson and Amendola would still be a few chapters behind.
"You can't mix anything up, because they won't be ready for it," Hurd said. "So it is a lot different, but it's a learning curve, and that's what they're getting adapted to."
If one of the two is to make the squad, the one who has the most success against Minnesota on Thursday night in the preseason finale at Texas Stadium could be doing himself a big favor. Teams typically play their bubble guys in the last preseason games, and Jefferson and Amendola figure to receive a lot of reps.
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"We've got one more game next week where I really need to play well in the preseason, and go from there," Amendola said.
The Cowboys just might need him to play well, too.
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