While running back Felix Jones is being asked to carry the load at the tailback position, he missed Tuesday's practice with an identified injury.
The Cowboys returned to practice at Valley Ranch in preparation for Saturday's Christmas Eve game with the Eagles.
Jones did make it out to the practice field in a sweat suit, working alongside defensive tackle Josh Brent, who has missed three straight games with a knee injury. But Jones went back into the training room and wasn't on the field for the majority of team practice.
Battling injuries is nothing new for Jones, who has been injury-prone for most of his four-year career. This season, Jones missed four games with a high-ankle sprain, paving the way for rookie DeMarco Murray to explode onto the scene. Murray went to IR with a fractured ankle, which opened the door back for Jones, who is coming off two straight 100-yard games for the first time in his career.
However, Jones was cramping at times during the Tampa Bay game last week, which forced the Cowboys to turn to newly-signed veteran Sammy Morris to carry 12 times against the Bucs.
Jones and Murray are the only two running backs on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys do have Chauncey Washington on the practice squad.
In other injury news, linebacker DeMarcus Ware (stinger) and defensive tackle Jay Ratliff were practicing, along with offensive tackle Tyron Smith, who had a stinger late in the game Saturday night.
