IRVING, Texas – Micah Pellerin played in two games for the Dallas Cowboys last year after spending the first eight weeks of the season on the practice squad.

Pellerin, a cornerback, will make his 2014 debut Sunday against the New York Giants after spending the first 11 weeks of the season on the practice squad. With Tyler Patmon unable to play because of a knee injury, the Cowboys will use Pellerin as their fourth cornerback.

Coach Jason Garrett said Pellerin faces a challenge of running the scout team all season to the active roster in a week.

“It’s the same type of defense but there are certain nuances that are different this year as opposed to last year, so just getting accustomed to those things,” Pellerin said. “But all in all the defense allows you to play fast. You look at the practices this week I think consistently I’ve been getting better and so ultimately this last practice was my practice was my best, so it’s good.”

The Cowboys have until Saturday afternoon to call up Pellerin, but with only three healthy cornerbacks on the 53-man roster in Orlando Scandrick, Brandon Carr and Sterling Moore, they need Pellerin. To get him on the roster, the Cowboys will have to make a roster move before flying to New Jersey,.

“He really is attentive,” defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. “He’s smart. He’s got great work habits. So now, this week it’s a little bit different now. Everything’s a little bit quicker, a little bit faster, and the responsibility grows. But he’s a guy we believe in and we’ve just got to have him. He’s the guy that’s up. He’s got to do it. He’s just got to do it.”