IRVING, Texas - Dallas right tackle Doug Free will miss up to a month with a broken right foot, and linebacker Bruce Carter is expected to sit out his third straight game because of a thigh injury.

The Cowboys also were without quarterback Tony Romo, left tackle Tyron Smith and running back DeMarco Murray at practice Wednesday. All three should play Sunday against the New York Giants.

Romo took his usual Wednesday off after back surgery last December, but this time he had lingering ankle and rib injuries from the Cowboys' 30-23 win at Seattle on Sunday. The rib injury came early when linebacker Bobby Wagner hit him hard in the mid-section. Romo said he wasn't sure when the ankle injury happened.

Smith injured his left ankle against the Seahawks, but it isn't a high ankle sprain. He missed the only game of his career with the more serious ankle problem in 2012. Murray has been battling an illness.

Linebacker Rolando McClain will miss two days travelling to Alabama to deal with custody issues involving his sons. The absence actually fits with his practice schedule in recent weeks because he's been working through a lingering groin issue.

Defensive end Anthony Spencer, who returned from microfracture knee surgery a year ago and has played in three straight games, missed practice Wednesday because of a foot issue that he said wasn't serious. In the past three weeks, he has practiced Wednesday and Thursday before skipping Friday's workout.

Tackle Jermey Parnell, who is expected to replace Free, was a limited participant with a chest injury he's been battling for several weeks.

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