AUSTIN (AP) - Michael Irvin says he understands Dallas coach Barry Switzer's
decision not to play him in any preseason games.
"I don't want to be selfish and go out and try to get reps and hurt
the timing that Troy needs to get with Deion (Sanders) and Kevin (Williams)
for those first five games," Irvin said.
"I want to play, but by the same token, I need my team to be ready
to play those first five games without me."
Irvin returned to the team Wednesday after being sentenced to probation
for cocaine possession in mid-July. He'll work out with the team until Aug.
26, when he will be barred from contact with the team because of a five-game
NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Dallas coaches and Irvin both pointed out that Dallas has a bye week before
Irvin's first game, giving him two full weeks of practice before he takes
the field on Oct. 13 against Arizona.
Offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese said he's not worried about Irvin's
upcoming five-week layoff.
"We have a bye week, so that's going to help getting him back,"
Zampese said. "That will be plenty of time for him to be ready to go
when he can play again."
Irvin said he has been working out with the University of Miami while spending
time in Florida with his family over the past three weeks.
"Running routes with other quarterbacks isn't like running routes with
the best in the world, and that's what Troy (Aikman) is," Irvin said.
"There's no doubt my timing with Troy isn't there yet, but that's something
we'll work on. Fortunately we have a bye week before I do play that sixth
game."
Irvin's first game back will be Oct. 13 against Arizona.
With the Cowboys learning Wednesday that tight end Kendell Watkins will
likely miss the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right
knee, Dallas is running out of healthy tight ends.
Starter Jay Novacek is trying to recover from chronic lower back problems
and backup Eric Bjornson is out with a hamstring pull.
Dallas released receiver Jason Shelley to make room for former Oklahoma
tight end Rickey Brady, who is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds.
Other than Brady, Duke free agent Bill Khayat is the only other healthy
tight end on the roster.
"It's a big loss for us," Dallas coach Barry Switzer said of Watkins'
injury. "We have to meet and discuss what other options we have."
Bjornson is expected to be back in action next week.
Several players coming off injury returned to practice Wednesday, including
Charles Haley, Tony Tolbert, Kevin Smith, Tony Casillas, Ray Donaldson,
Erik Williams, Brock Marion and Fred Strickland.
Smith, who is recovering from an Achilles tendon tear, has had coaches worried
about whether he will be able to make a full comeback.
But Smith was running at full speed without any apparent problems on Wednesday.
He broke up a pass to Michael Irvin on an out route and then ran stride
for stride with former track star Ed Hervey before batting away another
pass on a deep post route.
The other players didn't participate in contact drills.
"We had a lot of guys come out and made it look a lot better,"
Dallas coach Barry Switzer said. "We lined up a lot better on both
sides of the ball. They did limit their contact in practice, but they were
able to get in technique work, and hopefully they will get back in the flow
of things."
Rookie receiver Stepfret Williams' mother, Shirley Ann Williams, attended
practice Wednesday, cheering on her son, who was born 2-1/2 months prematurely.
Mrs. Williams said her son, who is 23, weighed just 2 pounds, 2 ounces and
remained in an incubator for six weeks after being born.
"The Lord just blessed him," Mrs. Williams said. "It's amazing
to think of him in that incubator and now on the field with the Cowboys."
Williams, who is pencil thin at 6 feet and 170 pounds, is expected to be
the third receiver for Dallas in a rotation that includes Deion Sanders
and Kevin Williams, until Michael Irvin returns from a five-game suspension.