IRVING – Propped up by two crutches, Kyle Kosier couldn't believe he'll miss four to six weeks with a hairline fracture in his right foot.

"I've been inactive only one game in my career," the Cowboys' starting left guard said. "But what do you do? You move on and get better."

The team's offensive line is the latest group to have its depth tested this August. The cornerbacks, receivers and linebackers have all gone under the microscope, and nobody's panicked yet. That was the case again Monday.

Pat McQuistan, Joe Berger and Cory Procter will all play left guard in Thursday's preseason finale against Minnesota. Coach Wade Phillips left no doubt that whoever plays the best against the Vikings will start the season opener in Cleveland.

"It will be a good opportunity to show what they can do," Phillips said. "I think the tape will sway us one way or the other or keep us on whoever we thought was going to be there in the first place."

Whoever starts in Cleveland will be sandwiched by two Pro Bowlers. Center Andre Gurode has started 74 games in his six-year career. Left tackle Flozell Adams is considered one of the best in the NFL.

Familiarity is critical to a successful offensive line.

Kosier has started between Gurode and Adams the last two years and knows what to do when Gurode changes the blocking schemes before the snap. He also knows how to work with Adams to stop stunting defensive linemen and blitzing linebackers.

"It's going to be an adjustment," Adams said, "but it won't be anything like 2002. Larry [Allen] got hurt that year, and we must have used five guys – and some of them were coming off the street. Now, that was hard."

Procter played guard and tackle at Montana. He's practiced at guard with the Cowboys and developed into Gurode's backup.

"We have the same expectations when anybody goes in there," Procter said. "Whoever it is, you just expect to play hard."

Minor training camp injuries allowed the Cowboys to look at multiple young players.

When Pro Bowl cornerback Terence Newman suffered a groin tear, rookie Mike Jenkins received the lion's share of practice time with the first team. Newman practiced Monday for the first time since suffering the injury on July 28.

Miles Austin's sprained knee and Isaiah Stanback's separated shoulder have thinned the Cowboys' depth at receiver.

The same goes at linebacker now that Kevin Burnett and Anthony Spencer are sidelined after knee surgery.

For free agent signees such as Danny Amendola, Thursday's game is their final chance to show they belong on the 53-man roster.

"We've got about four or five spots that are open," Phillips said. "I want to have those guys walk out of here and say, 'I had the opportunity.' That's what I'm telling them. You've got your opportunity to make this football team.

"If you want to be an NFL football player, this is your chance."