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.