IRVING, Texas – As promised, cornerback Mike Jenkins returned to Valley Ranch for Tuesday's mandatory first minicamp practice and did some light jogging on the sideline as part of his ongoing rehab from January shoulder surgery.
Team owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he had a "good visit" with Jenkins. But the fifth-year veteran did not chat with reporters about his decision to rehab in his native Florida for most of the offseason, including all three weeks of voluntary OTA's.
Head coach Jason Garrett said team has remained in contact with Jenkins about his shoulder rehab, which has been expected to keep him out of practice until training camp.
Jenkins would have been subject to team fines for missing mandatory workouts like this week's minicamp – the last organized team work before training camp begins in late July in Oxnard, Calif.
"We've had conversations encouraging him to be here," Garrett said. "We can't demand any player to be here (for voluntary workouts). We made sure that his rehab situation was the right one when he wasn't here and now it's a mandatory situation. He's back and he's here.
"We don't see it as a big deal. He would not be able to practice anyway. We're going to try to coach him as best he can right now in the rehab stage of his development and certainly when he gets back on the field."
Jones reiterated that Jenkins will not be traded, despite speculation since the Cowboys signed free agent cornerback Brandon Carr to a $50.1 million contract in March and traded up in the first round to draft Morris Claiborne. Orlando Scandrick is also back after signing a five-year, $27 million extension last August.
Jenkins is entering the final year of his 2008 rookie contract. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, reportedly approached the Cowboys about an extension this spring.
"It is good to have him out here," Jones said. "Our guys got a good chance to see how he's been rehabbing.
"He needs to get well and rehab, but he's aligned right with everything that I'm aligned with and the Cowboys are aligned with: get in here, have a big year, play with a great bunch, distinguish themselves."
