Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley
Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton has officially been replaced in the starting lineup by Miles Austin. In fact, coach Wade Phillips just confirmed the news a few moments ago. During the open locker room period Wednesday, Crayton announced his own demotion and complained that he had to find out about it on the practice field.
Crayton said the news of his demotion didn't catch him by surprise, but he felt like he deserved an explanation for why it happened. Later in the afternoon, Phillips provided the most obvious explanation: "[Austin] had 250 yards receiving in one game. How do you say you're not going to play the guy? I think he deserves to start."
Phillips disputed the notion that Crayton wasn't informed of his demotion before practice.
One reporter really pressed Phillips on the topic, asking him if he felt like he was "patronizing" Crayton. Phillips finally escaped by saying he thought Crayton would "take it the right way."
In other news, Phillips announced that outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware had a stress fracture in his foot and that running back Marion Barber has a broken left thumb. That said, Phillips said that both players have been playing and practicing with those injuries and he doesn't anticipate any problems.
Barber is right-handed and that's where he normally carries the ball. The players underwent MRIs during the bye week and that's when the injuries were discovered.
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Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton has officially been replaced in the starting lineup by Miles Austin. In fact, coach Wade Phillips just confirmed the news a few moments ago. During the open locker room period Wednesday, Crayton announced his own demotion and complained that he had to find out about it on the practice field.
"I would have loved it," Crayton said of not getting an explanation from either Phillips or offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. "It would have been real stand-up. That's not what happened. Oh, well."
Crayton said the news of his demotion didn't catch him by surprise, but he felt like he deserved an explanation for why it happened. Later in the afternoon, Phillips provided the most obvious explanation: "[Austin] had 250 yards receiving in one game. How do you say you're not going to play the guy? I think he deserves to start."
Phillips disputed the notion that Crayton wasn't informed of his demotion before practice.
"We discussed it with him," Phillips said. "I have no doubt about that."
One reporter really pressed Phillips on the topic, asking him if he felt like he was "patronizing" Crayton. Phillips finally escaped by saying he thought Crayton would "take it the right way."
In other news, Phillips announced that outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware had a stress fracture in his foot and that running back Marion Barber has a broken left thumb. That said, Phillips said that both players have been playing and practicing with those injuries and he doesn't anticipate any problems.
Barber is right-handed and that's where he normally carries the ball. The players underwent MRIs during the bye week and that's when the injuries were discovered.
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Matt Mosley
Mosley, an award-winning writer for The Dallas Morning News for seven years, joined ESPN.com in January 2007. Mosley, a Baylor graduate, writes columns, features and blogs for ESPN.com.