The Dallas Cowboys have their quarterback hunter back.
Pass rusher DeMarcus Ware was "suited up and practicing" Wednesday after missing the past three games with a strained quadriceps muscle, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.
Ware promised his return would be swift, and owner Jerry Jones said he expects the All-Pro defensive end back in the lineup Sunday night when the Cowboysvisit the Saints.
The New York Jets drew up a winning blueprint against New Orleans in Week 9 by relentlessly pursuing Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Pairing Ware with defensive tackle Jason Hatcher gives Dallas a shot to do the same Sunday night.
The rest of Wednesday's injury news:
- Staying in Big D, wide receiver Dez Bryant missed practice with a sore back, and fellow pass-catcher Miles Austin (hamstring) was nowhere to be seen, per ESPNDallas.com's Todd Archer.
- From earlier today: NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Green Bay Packers passer Aaron Rodgers likely will miss four to six weeks with the fractured collarbone he suffered in Green Bay's loss to the Chicago Bears.
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- Texans running back Arian Foster (back, hamstring) didn't practice after being pulled from Houston's Sunday night loss to the Indianapolis Colts, NFL Media's Desmond Purnell reported. "He's with the doctors. That's being diagnosed," interim coach Wade Phillips told reporters, per ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli.
- Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel took first-team snaps Wednesday after missing the past four games with a sprained right knee. We anticipate Manuel will start Sundayagainst the Pittsburgh Steelers, but to whom will he throw? The Bills didn't have receivers Robert Woods (ankle) or Marquise Goodwin (hamstring) on Wednesday, The Buffalo News reported.
- Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor practiced with no indication of the knee injury that knocked him out of Oakland's ugly loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, per the San Francisco Chronicle's Vic Tafur, who also reported that running back Darren McFadden (hamstring) wasn't on the field.
- Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin had a "great" workout Wednesday but won't practice with the team, according to coach Pete Carroll. The coach said Harvin is in "phase two" of his rehab. We have no idea what this means ahead of Seattle's Sunday tilt with the Atlanta Falcons.
- In Philadelphia, coach Chip Kelly announced that quarterback Nick Foles again would handle starting reps for the Eagles as they prepare for Sunday's clash with the Packers. Michael Vick was limited in practice Tuesday and worked Wednesday with trainers as he continues to rehab his nagging hamstring.
- Victor Cruz sat out with a tweaked neck after practicing Monday. The New York Giants wide receiver suffered a stinger against the Eagles in Week 8, but coach Tom Coughlin told reporters: "I think he probably could practice if we really needed him to practice today."
- Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson (knee) was back at Lions practice and looms as a lock to suit up against the Chicago Bearson Sunday after shredding the Cowboys for 329 yards in Week 8.
- Look for Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Mike James to get another start after Doug Martin sat out again with the shoulder injury he suffered in the team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 20. The Buccaneers meet the Miami DolphinsMonday night.
- Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper practiced Wednesday after being ushered home Tuesday with an illness, per Tim McManus of Phillymag.com.
- Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon returned from short-term injured reserve to practice with the team after suffering a Lisfranc injury in Atlanta's Week 2 win over the St. Louis Rams, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure.
- Don't expect to see Lions receiver Nate Burleson on Sunday against the Bears. He returned to practice this week but said he's "not going to sit here and pull an RGIII."
- The Saints placed linebacker Jonathan Vilma on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported. The move comes just three days after Vilma returned from a left knee injury to play in his first game of the season.
- Saints running back Darren Sproles told reporters Wednesday that he's been cleared to play Sunday against the Cowboys after passing his concussion tests, according to The Times-Picayune.
- San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree practiced Tuesday for the first time since suffering a torn Achilles tendon in May. Crabtree is encouraged by his progress and said doctors believe he's " going in the right direction," per the team's official website.
- Giants running back Andre Brown is slated to come off short-term IR in time to be available Sunday vs. the Raiders, NFL Media's Kimberly Jones reported Wednesday on NFL Network's "Around the League Primetime." Brown fractured his left leg in the team's preseason finale and will wear a carbon fiber plate on his lower left leg, protection he plans to wear for the rest of his career, Jones added. Browns has been practicing for the past two weeks.
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