Wednesday at The Star: George Pickens Is Back on the Field in Individual Drills, and Joey Porter Jr. Gets His Look Too

FRISCO — Wednesday's practice at The Star was an audition, and the two headliners showed up. Wide receiver George Pickens, who missed the Cowboys' 27-23 win at Indianapolis with hamstring and shoulder injuries, went through individual drills during Wednesday's practice, Cowboys insider Jon Machota of The Athletic reported. Cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who sat out the same game with an ankle injury, was likewise set to be on the field to see what he could do.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer set the terms before practice, as Heavy reported: Ferguson and Tyler Goodson would not practice — 'Fergie and Goody will not practice today' — while edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, returner KaVontae Turpin and receiver Jonathan Mingo would each get a look to gauge their health, alongside Pickens and Porter Jr.

What Wednesday does not do is settle Sunday. Individual drills are a step, not a clearance: Pickens was hurt in the home loss to Arizona and has now missed a game, and Porter Jr.'s ankle has limited him since his arrival from Pittsburgh in late September. The week's remaining practices — and the final injury report — will say whether either is a full participant against San Francisco.

The stakes of the answer are plain. The Cowboys are 4-5 and host the 7-1 49ers on Sunday at AT&T Stadium (3:25 p.m. CT) — the league's best record arriving in Arlington against a Dallas team that just won on the road without its top receiver and its trade-deadline corner. Getting even one of them back changes the matchup; Wednesday was the first evidence either might make it.