IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys operated with limited numbers at wide receiver during their first practice of Week 16.
Dez Bryant and Cole Beasley both sat out of practice on Wednesday morning. Bryant is resting the various injuries he's been coping with throughout the season, most notably the knee problem he suffered Nov. 8 against Philadelphia.
Beasley sat out of practice with an illness.
Those two absences came as a bit of a surprise, but they were an exception at a practice that was well-attended for late December. Morris Claiborne was once again held out of practice while he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. The fourth-year cornerback missed Saturday's loss to the Jets with the injury, which he suffered at the tail end of the Green Bay game on Dec. 13.
The Cowboys' other absence from the Jets game, Rolando McClain, returned to practice on Wednesday, however. McClain suffered a concussion against the Packers and was held out last week while he went through the league protocol.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said at his Wednesday press conference that he anticipated McClain would return to practice.
While Claiborne continues to sit out, the Cowboys will likely turn toward Byron Jones to fill the vacancy at cornerback. The rest of the team's defensive backs – Brandon Carr, Jones, Terrance Mitchell, Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox and Jeff Heath – were all present.
