IRVING, Texas - During a game, a team has limited options.
So when Marc Colombo went down like he did, midway through the first quarter Sunday, the Cowboys had no other choice.
Doug Free was the only active tackle for the game, and he's the primary fill-in for either spot. So he finished the game at right tackle for Colombo, who had surgery Monday for a high ankle sprain and will let the broken fibula/tibia heal on its own.
Now the Cowboys must figure out what to do at right tackle for a long-term solution.
Is Free the best option? Or do the Cowboys do some line shuffling and possibly move Leonard Davis from right guard to right tackle and replace him with Montrae Holland or Cory Procter.
Whatever they do, head coach Wade Phillips wasn't giving hints on Monday.
"We haven't decided exactly what we are going to do," Phillips said. "We want to discuss some things and see where we are injury-wise. There is a possibility we could do a lot of things."
Free has been the swing-tackle for all nine games this season, ready to play either tackle position during the game. The Cowboys also have fourth-year tackle Pat McQuistan on the roster, although he's been inactive for every game this year.
Ironically, the Cowboys also worked out Paul McQuistan, Pat's twin brother, last week. He was with the Raiders but was released earlier this season. Paul McQuistan has experience at both guard and tackle.
But Phillips said the Cowboys will keep their options open.
"We have been working with Free. We have been working with McQuistan and we've been working with Holland, who hasn't been active," Phillips said. "We have some linemen we think can play. They are going to have to step up."
For now, it appears the most logical solution would be to play Free, who fared well Sunday, the first extensive playing action of his career.
"He did all right," Phillips said of Free. "He got a holding penalty at the end of the game. He did fine. He didn't hurt us."
After the game, Free said he felt he played well despite being thrown into action. He vowed to play better the next game, especially if he's getting a full week of practice reps.
"It's hard to put yourself in that game-attitude if you know you're not starting," Free said. "In practice, you don't get many reps. You have to take more mental reps. It's not something you can totally prepare for."
Should the Cowboys decide to move Davis to tackle, it would be his first extensive action there since 2006 in Arizona. Davis played his last three years with the Cardinals (2004-06) at left tackle before signing with the Cowboys in 2007 and moving back to right guard.
Davis did take one snap at left tackle Sunday in Green Bay when Flozell Adams went out for a play with an ankle injury. The Cowboys moved Davis to left guard and replaced him with Procter for a snap.
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