IRVING, Texas — Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware was back at practice Thursday, though the team was unclear about his status for Saturday night’s game at New Orleans that will be less than a week after he strained his neck in a scary headfirst collision.

On the practice report issued by the Cowboys, Ware was listed as not participating even though he was involved in some parts of the 90-minute session without pads that resembled a walkthrough.
The team also did not indicate his status for the Saints game since the NFL doesn’t require that until Friday.
Ware, who was taken off the field on a stretcher and briefly hospitalized after getting hurt Sunday against San Diego, wasn’t available to comment Thursday. The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker said earlier this week that he wants to play against the undefeated Saints, the NFL’s most productive offense.
“He is a competitor. I’m pretty sure if he felt well enough to go, he would,” defensive end Marcus Spears said. “I’m guessing it wasn’t bad enough to keep him out. He was able to participate and run around (at practice).”
Ware has never missed a game, starting all 77 regular-season games since he was the 11th overall pick in 2005.
In October, Ware agreed to a $78 million, six-year contract extension through the 2015 season that included a $20 million signing bonus. The 27-year-old Ware was in the final year of the contract he signed as a rookie.
After leading the NFL with 20 sacks last season, Ware has nine this year to push his career total to 62›. He needs only one more sack for his fourth consecutive 10-sack season. The only Dallas player to do that was George Andrie from 1964-67, although sacks were not official then.
Quarterback Tony Romo said it was nice to see Ware back on the field Thursday.
“You always want to make sure that he is going to be OK, and from the sound of things, he is improving. I told him, I was like, ’You’ve got to do obviously the right thing for your health, but you’re going to play,”’ Romo said. “If he can play, obviously that’s going to help us.”
Coach Wade Phillips, who did not talk with reporters after practice, said Wednesday that Ware could still play against the Saints even if he didn’t work out Thursday.
“Just talking to him, not really getting specific with him, he seems to be getting better every day,” linebacker Keith Brooking said Thursday. “He’s a freak of nature, man. He would never have to work out, lift a weight or practice for the rest of his career and average 15-20 sacks a year, so he’s fine.”
Brooking said Ware knows the defense, so missing practice “is not going to affect him at all.” Ware has attended meetings and taken part in other walkthrough sessions this week.