Dez Bryant returned to the practice field on Saturday following a two-week absence.
This is obviously a good sign for the Dallas Cowboys, who should have their dynamic wide receiver on the field when they begin the regular season against the New York Giants on Wednesday.
Bryant had been shut down since Aug. 20 after an MRI revealed patellar tendinitis in his knee. Somewhat surprisingly, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Bryant could still be in the mix to return punts in four days. Dallas has yet to finalize it's kick and punt returners.
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"If he's the best guy, and he's healthy, we'll give him a chance to do it," Garrett said Saturday, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "Those guys have to be reliable, first and foremost, in taking care of the ball. And then you obviously want to evaluate their playmaking ability after that. Dez has shown that he's capable of doing both, and if he's healthy, we'll give him a chance to do it."
Team owner Jerry Jones publicly wavered in the offseason over using Bryant on special teams, questioning whether his playmaking ability was worth the gamble of increased injury risk. Bryant suffered a thigh bruise while returning a punt against the New York Jets in Week 1 last season, an injury that hampered him for weeks.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.