Kevin Kolb's month-long battle back from a bad turf toe injury appears close to a merciful end.
The Arizona Cardinals' quarterback practiced with the first-team offense for a second consecutive day Thursday, and the Arizona Republic reported that all signs continue to point toward Kolb making his return to the starting lineup this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys.
Kolb, whom the team's official website described as feeling a little sore Thursday, originally injured his foot during a Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and has been a game-time decision the past couple of weeks.
Backup John Skelton went 3-1 as a starter while Kolb was injured, including a comeback victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10.
The Cardinals' official website also reported that linebacker Joey Porter (knee) returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday, while running back Beanie Wells (knee), tight end Todd Heap (hamstring) and linebacker Reggie Walker (hamstring) were also limited participants. Walker was a new addition to the team's injury report.