BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dallas Cowboys standout cornerback Terence Newman, slowed by foot and knee problems in the first four games of the season, will move into the starting lineup against the Bills on "Monday Night Football."
Newman
The fifth-year veteran, generally regarded as Dallas' best pure cover defender, sat out the first two games of the year and then played as a nickel cornerback in Weeks 3 and 4. He has been battling a plantar fascia condition in his right foot and patellar tendonitis in his right knee.
Newman, normally the starting left cornerback, will start instead at right cornerback as he replaces injured Anthony Henry, who leads the league with four interceptions. Henry sustained a high ankle sprain in last week's victory over St. Louis and might miss a couple of weeks.
Fourth-year veteran Jacques Reeves, who has started all four games at left cornerback, will continue at that spot for now. Reeves has one interception and four passes defensed.
The 4-0 Cowboys have yet to have their projected starting secondary open a game, but the unit has managed to compensate nicely.
Although he has played right corner on only a few occasions in his career, Newman said the switch should not be a problem.
"Cornerback is cornerback," Newsman said. "It's not like the job description changes. The technique might be a little different, but it's no big deal."
A first-round pick in the 2003 draft, Newman has been able to gradually ratchet up his practice workload over the past two weeks as he battled through injuries, and the trainers believe he is ready to return to the lineup now. In the two games in which he's appeared this season, Newman has four tackles and one pass defensed.
For his career, the former Kansas State star has played in 66 games, and has 271 tackles, 12 interceptions and 65 passes defensed.
Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.
Source: ESPN.com
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