Zeke’s Appeal

Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said running back Ezekiel Elliott will be at practice Tuesday, not at the U.S. District Court in Sherman, Texas, where a judge will hear his request for a temporary restraining order that would prevent the NFL from enforcing a decision on Elliott’s appeal hearing.

The Cowboys typically hold meetings and workouts on Tuesdays during the regular season, however, with the extra preparation time leading into Sunday’s season opener against the New York Giants they could do more on-field work. The bulk of the on-field preparation is Wednesday and Thursday in a typical week.

“We’re just going to prepare for the Giants, and Zeke will practice until someone tells him not to,” Garrett said. “And the other guys will get ready to play.”

The Cowboys went through their training camp with the idea of getting Elliott ready for Week 1 even as a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy was handed down. Elliott’s appeal was heard last week by arbitrator Harold Henderson in New York. Elliott was away from the team last week but took part in meetings and a walk-through last Saturday.

Henderson’s ruling is expected at any time. Hours after the hearing ended, Elliott and the NFL Players Association filed a petition with a US District Court in Texas to vacate the arbitration decision and made a request a day later for the emergency temporary restraining order. Judge Amos Mazzant III is scheduled to hear that request Tuesday.

The NFL, late Monday, filed a motion to dismiss both the NFLPA’s petition to vacate and TRO request, arguing that it is improper to seek relief from an arbitration decision that has yet to be made.

If Henderson upholds the suspension, then it will be on to the court system.

“I think Zeke has done an excellent job focusing on what he needs to do to get himself ready to play,” Garrett said. “I think our team has done that and just a normal day. We came in and we had meeting and walk-through on Saturday and he was part of it, our whole team was a part of it, and again, our preparation for the Giants is begun.”

Darren McFadden, Rod Smith and Alfred Morris have received work with the first-team offense in training camp practices. Elliott played in only 10 snaps in one preseason game, carrying six times for 18 yards and catching two passes for 6 yards against the Oakland Raiders on. Aug. 26.

“They’ve gotten a lot of work all throughout the preseason and training camp and the rotation that we typically have with all of our players is you try to get them work with that first unit,” Garrett said. “The backup guys rotate through, so I anticipate probably a similar rotation.”