FRISCO, Texas – Cornerback Byron Jones didn't speculate on how many snaps he'd play or whether he'd return to the starting lineup Sunday at Washington.
"No clue yet," he said.
But the Pro Bowl corner continues to make progress in his return from offseason hip surgery. After sitting out all four preseason games, Jones played 28 defensive snaps in the Cowboys' season opener against the Giants – a little more than the coaching staff estimated before the game.
Jones returned to practice the final week of training camp, exactly where he and the team circled as a benchmark when he began his rehab. Physically he feels great. The biggest thing is getting his footwork and technique down again.
"It's a skill set," he said. "Football is one of those sports where you have to prepare the right way. You have to practice, you have to be out there with the guys going over our schemes and obviously what the receivers want to do to us. I kind of skipped over that but learning very quickly and every single practice is very valuable to me. I'm gaining a lot of ground with every practice we're going through."
Jones credited the athletic training staff and his teammates in the secondary for their support as he worked his way back. With Jones on a pitch count against the Giants, Anthony Brown started opposite Chidobe Awuzie with Jourdan Lewis working into sub-packages.
It's a deep, talented group. Jones makes them even stronger.
"It gave me an opportunity to get fully healthy before I had push myself," he said. "Those guys held it down."
