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Phillips: Young Tackles Will Play Following Colombo's Scope
Line Manager
Young Tackles Will Play Following Colombo's Scope
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
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OXNARD, Calif. - Cowboys starting right tackle Marc Colombo had five loose particles scoped from his right knee Monday and could be back in time for the Sept. 12 regular-season opener at Washington, team owner Jerry Jones said.
Colombo has started at right tackle for the Cowboys since 2006 and made 57 consecutive starts before suffering a high ankle sprain/fractured fibula last Nov. 15 against Green Bay. The 31-year-old left Sunday's afternoon practice in a cart and underwent the clean-up procedure following an MRI.
"That's the good news because he's been playing with that type of situation probably for the last couple of years," Jones said during Sunday's single practice at the River Ridge Complex. "One was very memorable and we made note of it. I don't have exactly how long he'll be down, but those things have a time of 10 days to two weeks.
"I don't have any doubt he'll be back for the opener," Jones continued, "based on the information I just got from the MRI and what we saw the problem was."
Although there is not an exact return date for Colombo - every player's situation is different, and the original timetable was two-to-four weeks - head coach Wade Phillips also said he should be back in a "short amount of time."
That's good for an offensive line that will likely play without two of its top three tackles Saturday at San Diego. Swing backup tackle Alex Barron (sprained ankle) hasn't practiced since the Aug. 8 preseason opener against Cincinnati and is considered doubtful to play against the Chargers. Phillips said there's a chance Barron, a 74-game starter at both tackle spots in St. Louis (2005-09), will return Aug. 28 at Houston.
In the meantime, second-year veteran Robert Brewster and sixth-round pick Sam Young will get more preseason reps. Brewster replaced Colombo with the first team Monday, and Young worked with the second team opposite rookie left tackle Will Barker.
If form holds, Brewster would start at right tackle Saturday. The team has no plans to move first-team left tackle Doug Free, who replaced Colombo for seven games on the right side last year.
A third-round pick in 2009, Brewster missed his entire rookie season with a torn pectoral muscle. Prior to the Cincinnati game, he hadn't played a game in pads since his final bowl game at Ball State in January 2009.
A full offseason with strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek has improved his strength, and Phillips said he only made one mental error last Thursday against Oakland - an improvement from the preseason opener, in which he began the game at second-team right tackle but moved to the left side after Barron sprained his ankle.
"He's got real good balance, got good quickness and great length arms, which is really an advantage if you're an offensive tackle," offensive line coach Hudson Houck said. "He's learning the offense. We're moving him from the right side to the left side, so he's getting exposure on both sides, which varies a little on your pass set in particular."
The starting offense has played only three combined series in preseason and figures to stay on the field a bit longer against San Diego. That includes quarterback Tony Romo, who has battled a stomach virus the last two days. Phillips said Colombo's absence might affect the offense's protection schemes, but not necessarily Romo's playing time Saturday.
Colombo has returned stronger from previous knee injuries. In 2002 with Chicago, a dislocated left patella and femoral nerve damage nearly ended his career. The Cowboys signed him toward the end of the 2005 season, and fully healthy with the help of Juraszek and the training staff, he earned a starting job in '06.
Monday's scope should help his durability over a 16-game regular season.
"I'm not worried about him getting ready to play," Houck said. "But I'd like to get a look at some of these other guys, and this gives us a great opportunity to do that."
Line Manager
Young Tackles Will Play Following Colombo's Scope
Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email |
OXNARD, Calif. - Cowboys starting right tackle Marc Colombo had five loose particles scoped from his right knee Monday and could be back in time for the Sept. 12 regular-season opener at Washington, team owner Jerry Jones said.
Colombo has started at right tackle for the Cowboys since 2006 and made 57 consecutive starts before suffering a high ankle sprain/fractured fibula last Nov. 15 against Green Bay. The 31-year-old left Sunday's afternoon practice in a cart and underwent the clean-up procedure following an MRI.
"That's the good news because he's been playing with that type of situation probably for the last couple of years," Jones said during Sunday's single practice at the River Ridge Complex. "One was very memorable and we made note of it. I don't have exactly how long he'll be down, but those things have a time of 10 days to two weeks.
"I don't have any doubt he'll be back for the opener," Jones continued, "based on the information I just got from the MRI and what we saw the problem was."
Although there is not an exact return date for Colombo - every player's situation is different, and the original timetable was two-to-four weeks - head coach Wade Phillips also said he should be back in a "short amount of time."
That's good for an offensive line that will likely play without two of its top three tackles Saturday at San Diego. Swing backup tackle Alex Barron (sprained ankle) hasn't practiced since the Aug. 8 preseason opener against Cincinnati and is considered doubtful to play against the Chargers. Phillips said there's a chance Barron, a 74-game starter at both tackle spots in St. Louis (2005-09), will return Aug. 28 at Houston.
In the meantime, second-year veteran Robert Brewster and sixth-round pick Sam Young will get more preseason reps. Brewster replaced Colombo with the first team Monday, and Young worked with the second team opposite rookie left tackle Will Barker.
If form holds, Brewster would start at right tackle Saturday. The team has no plans to move first-team left tackle Doug Free, who replaced Colombo for seven games on the right side last year.
A third-round pick in 2009, Brewster missed his entire rookie season with a torn pectoral muscle. Prior to the Cincinnati game, he hadn't played a game in pads since his final bowl game at Ball State in January 2009.
A full offseason with strength and conditioning coach Joe Juraszek has improved his strength, and Phillips said he only made one mental error last Thursday against Oakland - an improvement from the preseason opener, in which he began the game at second-team right tackle but moved to the left side after Barron sprained his ankle.
"He's got real good balance, got good quickness and great length arms, which is really an advantage if you're an offensive tackle," offensive line coach Hudson Houck said. "He's learning the offense. We're moving him from the right side to the left side, so he's getting exposure on both sides, which varies a little on your pass set in particular."
The starting offense has played only three combined series in preseason and figures to stay on the field a bit longer against San Diego. That includes quarterback Tony Romo, who has battled a stomach virus the last two days. Phillips said Colombo's absence might affect the offense's protection schemes, but not necessarily Romo's playing time Saturday.
Colombo has returned stronger from previous knee injuries. In 2002 with Chicago, a dislocated left patella and femoral nerve damage nearly ended his career. The Cowboys signed him toward the end of the 2005 season, and fully healthy with the help of Juraszek and the training staff, he earned a starting job in '06.
Monday's scope should help his durability over a 16-game regular season.
"I'm not worried about him getting ready to play," Houck said. "But I'd like to get a look at some of these other guys, and this gives us a great opportunity to do that."