AUSTIN (AP) - Pro Bowl offensive tackle Mark Tuinei says he'll be ready
to start the Dallas Cowboys' season opener at Chicago on Sept. 2.
Tuinei suffered a ruptured medial collateral ligament in his right knee
in a 31-7 preseason loss against New England on Monday night.
"I'm gonna put a brace on it, and I should be able to start the Monday
night game," Tuinei said Wednesday.
Dallas trainer Jim Maurer said Tuinei could be out up to a month, which
would mean missing the season opener and the Sept. 8 home opener against
the New York Giants.
But Maurer said Tuinei is a fast healer.
"This past off-season, he did a real good job on his upper- and lower-body
lifting," Maurer said. "He's as strong as he's ever been. That's
going to help him with any rehab."
As a result of the injury, Pro Bowl right guard Larry Allen will replace
Tuinei at left tackle. Backup George Hegamin will take over at right guard.
Offensive line coach Hudson Houck said Allen can handle the switch.
"It's as easy for him to make the move as it would be for anyone in
the league," Houck said.
Allen said tackle is a little harder to play than guard because there is
more ground to cover.
"Once I get my footwork down, I'll be all right," Allen said.
Hegamin struggled against the first-team defense on Wednesday. He didn't
pick up a blitz by Broderick Thomas, who had a clear path to Troy Aikman.
On the next play, Hegamin was beaten by Chad Hennings, causing Aikman to
hurry and throw an incomplete pass.
Receiver Orande Gadsden, who had just moved ahead of rookie Stepfret
Williams into the No. 3 receiver slot behind Kevin Williams and Deion Sanders,
will be out six to eight weeks.
Gadsden fractured his right eye socket in the Cowboys' 31-7 preseason loss
to New England. He leads the team in preseason reception yards with 114
and had catches of 40 yards or more in each of the team's first two preseason
games. He also had played well on special teams.
Troy Aikman said Gadsden's loss hurts.
"He was playing extremely well. He was as competitive a guy as what
we've had at wide receiver," Aikman said.
"It's really unfortunate to lose him for any length of time, especially
when he was really making a run and was making some big plays and was getting
more and more consistent each day out."
Defensive end Charles Haley went to Dallas Wednesday to get treatment
for his back, which underwent surgery during the off-season.
"Charles went back to Dallas to get an injection for his back,"
said Dallas coach Barry Switzer. "It's sore. I guess that's something
we'll have to deal with all the way through the year. It's the same old,
same old. It's no more serious than it's ever been."
Switzer said Haley's status would be day-to-day.
Tight end Eric Bjornson, who is attempting to replace injured Jay Novacek,
aggravated a left hamstring pull Wednesday that has kept him out of practices
and game action for the past 10 days.
"It was nine or 10 days we had him out, then we come out here today
and we practice and he pulls it again," Switzer said. "It's the
same leg but a different place. We are trying to get him ready to play.
It doesn't look like we can."
Troy Aikman said he talked to injured tight end Jay Novacek at length
over the weekend.
Novacek has a degenerative disk in his back and has not responded well to
treatment.
"He's getting better," Aikman said. "But getting better to
where he feels good walking around and getting in his truck is different
from going out and playing 60 minutes in the NFL. I am cautiously optimistic
about his situation."
Rookie linebacker Randall Godfrey continues to impress Dallas coaches.
The 6-foot-2, 237-pound second-round draft pick from Georgia has shined
at middle linebacker, and Dallas coach Barry Switzer said he also proved
himself on special teams in a 31-7 preseason loss to New England Monday.
"(Special teams coach) Joe Avezzano said Godfrey did something he'd
never seen before. He said Godfrey knocked three people down and knocked
one of them out on one play," Switzer said. "I said I've gotta
go back and look at that play (on film)."
Offensive tackle Erik Williams and center Ray Donaldson took part in
contact drills for the first time at training camp Wednesday.
Both are coming off surgery and appeared strong in drills.
"It was good to have those guys back," Dallas coach Barry Switzer
said.
Tony Tolbert, who is coming off surgery on both knees, also took part in
contact drills.
"Tony did some good things, tried hard," Switzer said. "He's
going to have swelling and pain. Tony expects that and he knows how to handle
it."
Dallas has cut rookie offensive tackle Teka Brown, rookie cornerback Reggie Reser and rookie defensive end Rudy Smith.