Marcus Spears to miss 4-6 weeks with knee injury

Marcus Spears' availability for the Sept. 12 season opener at Washington is in question because of a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. Spears suffered a Grade 2 tear of the ligament but he will not require surgery. The injury just requires time to heal and he will likely have to wear a brace when he returns. Jason Hatcher would appear to be the new starter at defensive end but he has been slowed in training camp because of a hyperextended elbow. Spears, who is in the last year of his contract, has not missed a game in his first five seasons. He hurt his right knee during camp in 2005 but was able to play in a reserve role before taking over as the starter in the final 10 games. The Cowboys had mild trade talks with Miami before the draft in April but nothing materialized. Once training camp started, the Cowboys effectively ended any talk regarding Spears. He is a valued voice in the locker room and a leader among the defensive linemen. Hatcher, a th...