FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys standout offensive linemen Tyron Smith and Zack Martin returned to practice on Thursday after sitting out the day before. Rookie second-round pick Connor Williams, a since-day-one starter here since his selection, is also practicing -- but unlike Smith and Martin, he won't be returning to the starting lineup for this Sunday's game at Atlanta.

Williams missed last week’s win against the Philadelphia Eagles following arthroscopic knee surgery. In his place was Xavier Su’a-Filo -- and the 27-year-old former Houston Texas' second-round pick was solid enough that he's keeping the job for now.

When I asked coach Jason Garrett on Thursday morning about Williams reentering a competition for the spot, Garrett said the top focus now is on Williams' getting fully healthy again. But the other "top focus'' is allowing Su’a-Filo to keep up what he started in Philly, when he was part of an O-line that helped running back Ezekiel Elliott to rush for 151 yards.

Su’a-Filo is less athletic than Williams (and less athletic than another young backup, Adam Redmond, who spent one practice a week ago ahead of Su'a-Filo). But he's stronger and bulkier. Those traits paid off against Philly lineman Fletcher Cox. This week's foe, the Falcons, have similarly effective interior D-linemen. And four days after the Atlanta trip comes the Thursday home game on Thanksgiving against the NFC East-leading Redskins, and they too are capable of manhandling opposing lines with their two interior bodies.

The Cowboys don't need to make any of this official yet; it's actually handy in another way, as the decision gives Williams, 21, even more time to get fully healthy. Martin will also take whatever rest he can get, as his knee sprain is something he plans on playing with for the rest of the year. And Tyron? Garrett said Smith was dealing with back spasm issues on Wednesday, so it was something a tad more serious than a "Romo Wednesday.'' Nevertheless, the coach reported that Smith is feeling better now and the Cowboys feel good about the direction he's going.

Dallas has undergone a great deal of offensive line change in recent weeks, going all the way up the food chain to the coaching staff. But things are settling in a bit, with Marc Colombo and Hudson Houck in charge (and, as 105.3 The Fan reports, with Travis Frederick taking on an unofficial role as an assistant, too.)

And, more settling: Su’a-Filo is going to be the starting lineup. And, fortunately for Dallas, it appears that Tyron Smith and Zack Martin will be as well, as the quintet that practiced together here today on Thursday inside the Ford Center at The Star -- right tackle La’el Collins, right guard Martin, center Joe Looney (still subbing, as he has all season, for illness-absent Frederick), left guard Su’a-Filo and left tackle Smith - figures to be the group the Cowboys line up with on Sunday in Atlanta.