What's The Scoop:
Bad luck seems to follow Marcus Spears at training camp.
After missing most of last year's camp with knee and ankle injuries, Spears left Saturday's camp-opening practice with a sprained knee. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells couldn't give a specific diagnosis at his news conference but said the second-year defensive end will have an MRI later today.
Parcells said doctors' preliminary diagnosis is damaged meniscus. If Saturday's tests confirm the diagnosis, Parcells said Spears would have surgery on Sunday to repair the damage and probably misses two weeks of practice. But he also suggested Spears still would be able to play in three preseason games.
"Problem is he misses all that work and he needs it badly," Parcells said.
One of two first-round picks by the Cowboys in 2005, Spears moved into the starting lineup in Week 7 last season. He finished with 35 tackles, six quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks.
Kenyon Coleman and Jay Ratliff currently are working behind Spears at left defensive end. If Spears misses time, Parcells said he wasn't sure whether he'd move third-round pick Jason Hatcher from the right side behind Chris Canty to the left side.
Quick Shots:
- Terrell Owens put on a show in his first training camp practice with the Cowboys. He beat Aaron Glenn deep during seven-on-seven drills to catch a would-be touchdown pass from Tony Romo, prompting a collective roar from the fans.
- As Parcells predicted Friday, Keith Davis was on the field for the Cowboys' first practice and worked at first-team free safety. Davis, who was shot in the head and thigh on July 16, said he wants to put the incident behind him and concentrate on football.
- Greg Ellis might not be happy about his current contract situation or his role on the roster, but he was on the field, too, working a little as a stand-up outside linebacker on the left side.
- Roy Williams couldn't wait to get the pads on Saturday. The hard-hitting safety delivered a few bone-rattling hits during team drills, including a couple of pops to running back Julius Jones.
- First-round pick Bobby Carpenter worked at third-team outside linebacker behind Al Singleton and Rocky Boiman. He also took care of his first-round pick duties by fetching Parcells a cup of water during a break.
- Before practice, Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones greeted the throng of fans lined across the chain-link fence and in the stands at the River Ridge Complex. Jones then signed autographs for more than 30 minutes until practice started.
You Should've Seen:
The thousands of Cowboys fans chanting "T.O.! T.O.!" as Owens trotted onto the field at 8:43 a.m. (PDT). Owens was one of the last players to make his way down the entrance ramp, and the fans ate it up.
Who's Hot:
Second-year linebacker Kevin Burnett looked good in his first practice since being placed on injured reserve Dec. 29, 2005, with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Burnett made a couple of big stops during goal-line drills.
Who's Not:
Left tackle Flozell Adams spent the morning practice in workout clothes instead of pads. The Cowboys placed Adams on the active Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) following Friday's conditioning run. Seventh-round pick Pat McQuistan worked with the first team in Adams' place. Parcells said he didn't have a timetable for Adams' return. "I hope it's not forever," he said.
Injury Update:
OT Flozell Adams, placed on active PUP - no timetable set for his return (7/28)
DE Marcus Spears, knee (meniscus) - MRI scheduled (7/29)
Missed Practice:
T Flozell Adams, conditioning
Returned to Practice:
(None)
Transactions:
LB Bobby Carpenter, signed (7/29)
T E.J. Whitley, placed on injured reserve (7/29)
T Flozell Adams, placed on active PUP (7/28)
S Darrell Brooks, released (7/28)
G Shannon Snell, released (7/28)
Top BILL-ing:
"Nothing. I told Bledsoe to get a haircut, he'd look a lot younger." - Parcells when asked whether he gave Bledsoe advice on how to deal with Owens.
