Sal Monella
Man among boys
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Since the Cowboys played Thanksgiving Day, they had a regular practice Monday as they prepare for a second consecutive Thursday game.
They worked without receiver Randall Cobb (illness), safety Jeff Heath (right shoulder/left shoulder), weakside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) and defensive tackle Antwaun Woods (knee).
Vander Esch and Woods missed Thursday’s loss to the Bills.
“[Vander Esch] is a big piece of our defense,” Cowboys defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard said Monday. “He’s a starter. He earned the position. He’s earned the right to go out there and get it done, and right now, when you’re down a starter, it’s essentially that. Fortunately, we do have good players who are able to step in and fill that role.”
Defensive lineman Michael Bennett (foot), right tackle La'el Collins (knee), linebacker Sean Lee (pectoral), right guard Zack Martin (elbow/ankle), left tackle Tyron Smith (Achilles) and safety Darian Thompson (arm) were limited.
Receiver Amari Cooper, who took a helmet to his left knee, had a full practice.
“It hurt. It hurt a lot,” Cooper said. “I felt like I hit and flipped. I tried to get up, but the shocking pain was so much that I couldn’t get it. So it hurt a lot. I thought it was pretty bad. I thought I would linger. It’s healed better than I thought it would.”
