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| C Phil Costa will have to earn his way back into the starting lineup. (US Presswire) |
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said he’s hoping Phil Costa can get back to practice this week and be available for Sunday’s game in Baltimore.
But that doesn’t exactly mean his starting center job will be handed to him once again.
Costa battled a back injury all of training camp and the preseason and it seemed he was ready to play the opener against the Giants.
But after three snaps, he exited the game and hasn’t played since.
Veteran Ryan Cook, who was acquired by trade just six days before the first game, filled in nicely against the Giants and has started the past three games.
Garrett was vague about the availability of either player -- Cook has a minor hamstring injury -- and didn’t say if Costa would return as the starter.
“He’s been a good football player for us,” Garrett said of Costa. “He was our starter. Ryan (Cook) has done a good job coming in on short notice in that position. The offensive line, just like every position on our team, we’re going to create competition.”
But Garrett reiterated that Costa’s position won’t be given back to him just because he was the starter initially.
“We don’t have a rule that says ‘this guy was a starter and then he got hurt. You can’t lose your starting spot due to injury.’ We don’t have any of those rules,” Garrett said. “We want to make the best decision. We want to see him in practice, see where he is, then see what the best decision is going forward.”
Costa started all 16 games at center last year. An undrafted rookie in 2010 out of Maryland, Costa made the team has a versatile backup and even started two games at guard as a rookie.
But a strong training camp last year allowed the Cowboys to cut five-time Pro Bowler Andre Gurode and go with Costa.
Whoever starts from here on, the Cowboys need more from that position, considering they currently rank 29th in the NFL in rushing at 67.8 yards per game.
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