Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman was added to the Pro Bowl roster Wednesday as a replacement for Arizona Cardinals corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was injured in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Newman finished the 2009 season with just three interceptions, but he had a career-high 21 pass breakups.

“He’s the guy we counted on the whole time to be solid and to make plays,” coach Wade Phillips said of Newman toward the end of the season. “And the other guy [Mike Jenkins] will get picked on because they will stay away from Terence a lot of times.”

Jenkins led the Cowboys with five interceptions and 23 pass breakups this season.

Newman becomes the seventh Cowboys player to make the Pro Bowl roster for the Jan. 31 game in Miami. Newman also was selected to the game in 2007 after getting four interceptions and 15 pass breakups.

Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams was at Monday’s afternoon practice despite his sprained wrist.

According to Mickey Spagnola, Williams was told he could practice or work on the side with a trainer on the side.

Williams chose to practice.

Tatum’s Stephen Hodge was back at practice on Sunday and again today.

And cornerback Terence Newman was back at work too.

The only player not working out with the team is former Texas Tech linebacker Brandon Williams, who continues to nurse a shoulder injury.

If Williams can practice on Tuesday, he could be available to play against the Titans on Friday.

David Smoak

Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins expected back Monday
Tim MacMahon/Blogger-Dallas Morning News

Wade Phillips said most of the players who missed the preseason opener will return to practice Monday. He specifically mentioned cornerbacks Terence Newman (groin) and Mike Jenkins (ankle).

Rookie linebackers Brandon Williams (shoulder) and Tatum’s Stephen Hodge (knee) are participating in today’s walk-throughs, but they might not do much during tomorrow’s practices.

August 8, 2009

Terence Newman joins Mike Jenkins on the Cowboys’ injury list
Tim MacMahon/Blogger, Dallas Morning News

The Cowboys are running out of cornerbacks.

They got good news about Mike Jenkins, who went down during this morning’s practice. He’s day-to-day with a sprained ankle. It is not a high ankle sprain, which Jerry Jones was worried about.

We were told this morning that Terence Newman was just resting for most of the practice. It turns out that he has a “slight groin strain,” according to coach Wade Phillips. Newman is also considered day-to-day.

Of course, Newman was considered day-to-day when he strained his groin early during last year’s training camp. He sat out the rest of camp and all of the preseason, missed the season opener and struggled for three weeks before getting surgery to repair a sports hernia. This strain is to the same groin (left).

“I don’t think it’s serious,” Phillips said. “It’s a slight groin strain and not what he had before. I feel comfortable there, but we’ll wait and see.”

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Trenches/entry/view/29368/newman_convinced_big_things_are_ahead

Stephen Hodge told me over and over again, “I felt like a chicken with his head cut off,” after his first practice in pads at training camp.

Hodge, who has been in rehab from a calf and knee injury, returned to the field for the first time since June mini-camp.

After his first practice, Hodge was smiling when he told me, “I’m just glad to get out here with everyone else, it’s been frustrating and I need to play catch up.” Hodge continued, “I keep feeling like I was going in every direction, like a chicken with his head cut off, but I’ll get back into the flow sooner or later.”

When asked if he felt like he had to make-up for lost time, Hodge said, “Yes, I do, I lost a lot of reps and I don’t like other players taking my reps.”

Hodge also told me he compared today’s first training camp practice to the first practice at Valley Ranch after he was drafted.

Meanwhile, while walking off the field after the early special teams session on Monday afternoon, I asked special teams coach Joe DeCamillus if it was nice to get Hodge on the field and he responded, “I liked seeing #55 out there, Hodge, I’m glad he’s back he can help us.”

Tatum's Stephen Hodge at first practice

Cowboys center Andre Gurode signs autographs

Cowboys CB Terence Newman signs autographs