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Jump Scares

It surely wasn't the most positive practice of training camp for the Cowboys, at least not on the injury front, seeing as several players, including Jake Ferguson, left practice at some point to be attended to by the team's medical staff.

The Pro Bowl tight end went down on a red zone drill and immediately took his helmet off, surrounded by medical staff and teammates as the music playing in the background was turned down — a scary situation for the several moments Ferguson laid flat on his back in pain.

He'd eventually be helped to his feet and was in good spirits as he walked to the sideline, slapping five with his teammates and searching for his helmet. He watched a few more reps before walking to the locker room, with no limp.

Ferguson stands to potentially have a huge bounce back season in 2025, and coming off of a shiny new contract extension and being fully healthy this offseason after battling multiple injuries in 2024, one of which was a sprained knee that cost him time on the field. - Patrik Walker

DaRon Bland

Practice couldn't have gone off to a better start for DaRon Bland on Thursday, as he punched the ball free from Hunter Luepke on the first play of team periods. Donovan Ezeiruaku scooped the free ball up to recover the fumble. After not forcing any turnovers as a defense on Tuesday's joint scrimmage, starting off the practice that way was a welcome sign for Matt Eberflus' defense. - Tommy Yarrish

King Solomon?

There sure is a wealth of talent at the defensive end position for the Cowboys, but they're still sorting through questions on the defensive interior, though Solomon Thomas looks more and more like a terrific answer behind Osa Odighizuwa.

Thomas has had an outstanding camp in his first go with the Cowboys, to say the least. He isn't winning every single rep, because no one can make such a claim, but he's winning his share and in strong fashion — and against All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith, on occasion.

On Thursday, Thomas was seen making his way into the backfield on more than one occasion, also leaving his fingerprints on the run defense as well.

If Thomas can translate this into the regular season, as he has at times in the past for previous clubs, the former third-overall pick could very well do major damage for Matt Eberflus and the Cowboys. - Solomon Thomas

Marshawn Kneeland

After stacking some good days early on during training camp, Marshawn Kneeland put another solid showing out on Thursday. He had a pair of would-be sacks and was constantly crashing the backfield, continuing to showcase the strength and depth of the Cowboys' defensive end room. It seems like very day, there's another player coming off the EDGE that has a good day, and it's especially notable in Kneeland's case given he was regarded as a better run defender than pass rusher. - Tommy Yarrish

Slot Machine

Every year, it seems at least one or two rookie free agents find their way on the roster. The jury is still out as we still have all three preseason games to play but watch out for Zion Childress as an early favorite.

The undrafted rookie from Kentucky took some first-team reps on Thursday as the slot corner. The Cowboys continue to work different players into the slot along with Kemon Hall and Troy Pride. (- Nick Eatman)

No Trade Winds?

Just a few days removed since Micah Parsons publicly requested a trade from the Cowboys through his own social media, there hasn't been any major changes on the surface here in camp.

While Micah did not attend Thursday's practice due to back tightness, he is still here at camp. He is still not practicing, but most importantly, he remains in the Cowboys' long-term future.

"We have no intentions of trading Micah, and that's part of the negotiations," Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said this week. "That's just the nature of negotiations. I think any player that's holding out for a contract – I think I've read around the league where they've all requested to be traded. So that's part of it. We have no intention of trading Micah. He's right here in camp."

Parsons made national headlines on Saturday when his lengthy message on his personal X (Twitter) account suggested that he no longer wants to play in the Cowboys and ended the post with a formal trade request. - (Nick Eatman)

Blue's Clue

Jaydon Blue has quickly become one of the bright spots in Cowboys' camp, and running backs coach Derrick Foster loves what he's seeing from the former Longhorn, having zero concerns whatsoever regarding his willingness to put in the work.

"When you come into his league as a young player, there's a lot of things that you don't know and that you figure out once you start getting your feet wet a little bit, and he's maturing in that regard. In the spring, along that same line, he was a little far behind than we wanted him to be, but he's come [into camp], and shown a sign of professionalism, and going about his business the right way, doing the small things and being detailed-oriented — stuff like that. He's a very smart player. 


"I don't think his work ethic is in question. He does a really good job in that regard. He just still has to grow, you know, and most rookies do." - Patrik Walker

Junior Adams on CeeDee and Pickens duo

When you watch practice, the Cowboys' newest receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens is often accompanied by new wide receivers coach Junior Adams. The three of them spend a lot of time together on and off the field, and Adams is seeing a strong bond being built between his two newest players.

"I think George said it earlier in training camp, he said they're Mario brothers. Two different guys, but they get the job done," Adams said. "They're just two different players, but they're also the same, they've both got the same mindset. They both do a really good job of finishing on the football. And when the ball's in their hand, they've got good run after catch." - Tommy Yarrish

Room to Grow

Conor Riley was very transparent when addressing the offensive line performance from Tuesday's practice with the Rams. There were some learning moments, but several fundamental elements that should be better as training camp rolls on.

"Not clean enough. Is the initial gut feeling of the reaction I had yesterday," Riley said. "I thought that our eye discipline wasn't great. We need to improve on pad level, getting our eyes under chin. You know, on a positive, I thought that we had the competitive stamina that we talk about, and we stayed in the fight, had some positives."

Outside of Riley's job of teaching from the ground up, another challenge is dealing with the rotating cast of injuries and linemen. However, Riley doesn't see it as an excuse for poor preparation or performance from the guys deeper on the depth chart.

"Who's going to feel sorry for the ������Ƶ?" Riley asked. "So why would I feel sorry for us? We got professionals in that room when an opportunity arises, you never know when that's going to be.
You better be prepared. That's been the consistent messaging, and I'm not going to feel bad for myself, allowing our guys to feel bad for themselves." - Kyle Youmans

Dave Borgonzi on rookie LB Shemar James

Cowboys rookie linebacker Shemar James has seen some action with the first team unit already in his early goings in Dallas. Linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi says it's partially because they want to simulate in-game scenarios so players can get used to playing alongside other guys, but James also has exhibited the traits that Borgonzi wants in his players.

"We talk about linebackers, we talk about quickness, instincts and strike. Shemar is quick, he's got really good instincts, and he likes to hit. Those are the three qualities that we look for." - Tommy Yarrish

Needs for Nickelback: Defensive passing game coordinator Andre Curtis has spent his first training camp with the Cowboys on a search for their next nickel cornerback. He's mixed around a few names like Kemon Hall, Isreal Mukuamu and even Daron Bland into the fold, but what does he want to see in someone that's built for the position?

"You just need versatility," Curtis said. "A guy that can fit the run and still play like a corner on the outside. That's kind of a unique guy, not a lot of people can see it. A lot of corners, are one side dominant…The nickel has action on both sides, so you got to have a high level of instincts in the building to do those types of things."

With so many players getting reps at the nickel spot, this is one of the many ways those on the outside can see who fits the description best. The preseason opener on Saturday will provide a great look at whether the Cowboys are ready to play with who they have, or if they'll need to expand the search for cornerback help in the slot. - Kyle Youmans

Leadership Matters

Trevon Diggs continues to work his way back from a knee injury that sidelined him the remainder of the 2024 season, but that's not all the All-Pro cornerback is doing.

Between his rehab assignments in training camp, he's also helping to coach up other players in the defensive backs room, as told by secondary/cornerbacks coach David Overstreet.

In particular, Diggs has been spotted breaking down plays on the sideline to rookie third-round pick Shavon Revel, who himself is working to make his NFL debut from a knee injury.

"He'll be like, 'They're probably gonna run this, [etc.].' That's what Trey is doing. He has that next-level thinking. He's teaching." - Patrik Walker

4 Shadowing?

A healthy version of Dak Prescott has proven good enough to be both an All-Pro and an NFL MVP runner-up, and his current stable of weapons in the passing attack gives him an added barrel of firepower for the gauntlet to come.

If his performance against the Rams in their scrimmage is any indication, the league could have its hands full in trying to contain Schottenheimer's offense. The most glaring issue on the day, offensively, was that the Cowboys could not get anything going on the ground — a concerning tidbit when considering the woes of 2024 — but they mostly moved the ball with ease and at-will in the air.

From outlet passes to the running backs to keyhole throws downfield that both produced a lot of air yards and plenty of yards after the catch, Prescott was wheeling and dealing.

The added benefit of that? Well, the rushing attack slowly began to gain traction as the Rams found themselves trying to adjust to what was happening in the air. Hmmm… - Patrik Walker

Jake and the Dak Man

One of Prescott's main targets in the scrimmage against the Rams was a familiar one: Jake Ferguson. The two have reignited their onfield chemistry after a 2024 season that didn't see them on the field at the same time for the majority of the campaign.

They've routinely announced their return in this year's training camp, and Ferguson looks a bit faster and quicker as well — a testament to how he worked to reshape his body to remain durable.

He made things extremely difficult for the Rams' nickel corners and linebackers, and it was all the safeties could do to get to him, and then to try to bring his mass down if they did. Ferguson was also exceptional in pass protection and with his chip blocks, unafraid to get his hands dirty when he's asked to, as usual. - Patrik Walker

Payton Turner

One of the former first round picks that the Cowboys signed this offseason was Payton Turner, who towers on the defensive line at 6'6, 275. With that size comes versatility, as Turner lined up as a defensive end but also moved inside over the guard and center on a few reps in Tuesday's joint practice with the Rams. The highlight of his day was a would-be sack in the redzone, and his development would be a welcome sign for the Cowboys defense as a whole. - Tommy Yarrish

Just like the Rams wide receivers were having some success on one side of the field, the Cowboys receivers were doing the same against the Rams defensive backs. Jalen Brooks had one of the best plays of the day, hauling in a long touchdown pass from Joe Milton. But at the top of the depth chart, particularly CeeDee Lamb, that's where the receivers shine the most.

Now that's not surprising but Lamb was practically unguardable in a variety of routes – down the field, intermediate throws and the bubble screens, which were blocked well enough for him to have plenty of room to run.

Yes, Davante Adams and Puka Nacua had their share of big plays, but CeeDee, and George Pickens for that matter, seemed to be just as successful. - (Nick Eatman)

Room for improvement in secondary

Going up against one of the better receiving corps in the NFL, the Cowboys secondary was going to be challenged. They've been challenged in practice every day with their own dynamic duo of George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, who had a day of their own against LA's secondary. On the flip side, it was a day that Dallas' secondary is hoping to improve from quickly, as Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell had a lot more wins on reps than they did losses. Troy Pride closed practice out strong with a PBU, but for the most part the Cowboys defense is hoping to grow from this quickly with an already thin cornerback room, a similar situation that the Rams were facing on the other field. - (Tommy Yarrish)

Family Gathering

When the first-teamers took the field for a few plays Tuesday, there were multiple times when a pair of family members were on opposite sides of the ball. The Rams' star wide receiver Puka Nacua is actually a cousin to Cowboys linebacker Marist Liufau. The two have strong ties to Hawaii and are both from a Polynesian heritage. After practice, the two spent a few moments on the field chatting, although it's not the first time the two have shared the field, practicing and playing against each other last year as well. - (Nick Eatman)

JaVonte … the WR? Multiples. That has become one of Brian Schottenheimer's favorite words this offseason, and he uses it frequently to warn of what's to come from the Cowboys' offense, and it's impossible to argue with that description when looking at how he's using his players, including JaVonte Williams.

Yes, Williams is a running back in a room looking to sort itself out over the course of the next three weeks but, based on Monday's padded practice that precedes the scrimmage against the Rams, Williams is also … a receiver?

Schottenheimer was seen lining the veteran halfback up outside of George Pickens on one play, with CeeDee Lamb manning the opposite side. Williams continues to show the versatility that got him to the league in the first place, and noted his body "feels great" after having combated injury in his young career. - Patrik Walker

FANT-astic Catch

Princeton Fant never gets mentioned when it comes to predicting the roster, but for the last two years, Fant keeps sticking around. Speaking of sticking - he had a wonderful catch in the team drills, where he made a one-handed grab for a touchdown. He nearly had another score but the pass went over his head. But Fant was clearly having an impact on Monday as the offense had its share of big plays. - Nick Eatman

Traeshon Holden

Over the course of the last week, rookie UDFA Traeshon Holden has put together some solid moments in team drills. On Monday, Holden scored back to back red-zone touchdowns during the team's 7 on 7 period, in addition to a couple more touchdowns on Saturday in 11-on-11. The highlight was a crosser from Joe Milton that he took to the house. Holden's been consistent and earned the praise of Brian Schottenheimer earlier in the morning. - Tommy Yarrish

C.J. Goodwin

We've seen some players moving around positions during Brian Schottenheimer's first training camp, like KaVontae Turpin playing running back or Hunter Luepke moving around several different spots. On Monday, C.J. Goodwin, who is listed as a cornerback, wore a white jersey and ran routes with the wide receivers. Schottenheimer hasn't been shy about the fact that they're going to try out different guys at different spots, and that seems to be the case with Goodwin as well. - Tommy Yarrish

Leaving Early

Mazi Smith left practice on Monday halfway through the team drills. He headed to the medical tent before leaving early for the locker room. Smith's injury opened the door for players such as Solomon Thomas and other backups such as Jay Toia, Tommy Akingbesote and Perrion Winfrey to get more reps. - Nick Eatman

Tol' Road: Jonathan Mingo is making waves. Traeshon Holden is making waves. Jalen Tolbert is making waves. All three of these tidbits being true, it's Tolbert who has the faith of Schottenheimer and the Cowboys after leading the club in touchdowns one season ago.

That's not the only reason, though. The other is the fact that, quiet as it's kept, Tolbert is potentially having the most consistent camp of the three names mentioned, and in multiple ways. So, granted, while it's Mingo and Holden routinely being discussed more, it's Tolbert silently impressing those paying attention to his reps.

And, on Monday, he made his best play of camp: a catch deep down the right side of the field on a go route, on a ball from Dak Prescott, fighting through very a glaring defensive penalty (jersey was being pulled as he streaked downfield) to bring the ball in as he fell to the ground but before his knee went out of bounds. Well hello there, sir. - Patrik Walker

Clark Bar

Malik Hooker is continuing to be the definitive leader of the safety group, along with Donovan Wilson, but the absence of the versatile and talented Juanyeh Thomas, due to injury, is opening the door for undrafted rookie safety Alijah Clark to at least make a name for himself.

Clark had quite a day on Saturday. On one play, he broke up a pass over the middle from Dak Prescott, intended for Jalen Tolbert, with a jarring hit/thud and, two plays later, he made Joe Milton pay for a mistake downfield.

Milton dropped back and launched a ball deep down the right side of the field but Clark would have none of it, tracking the ball well and grabbing the interception before celebrating with his defensive counterparts. The former Syracuse standout looks like a budding piece on an already deep safety unit. - Patrik Walker

Going With the Flo'

To say the battle at wide receiver is hot-and-heavy is much akin to describing a Texas summer day as chilly. Fact is, the emergence of Jonathan Mingo and undrafted rookie Traeshon Holden in camp has truly added to a fire that has Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin also cooking in that room, and don't look now but here comes Ryan Flournoy.

Flournoy had what was arguably the best day of his second training camp, on Saturday, making plays both deep and middle deep, in coverage and showing separation with an ability to identify the hole in zone coverage to make for an easier target for the quarterback.

And as his routes become more crisp, his unbridled athleticism (his biggest calling card) is beginning to make for a potent mix. All Flournoy has to do is to rinse and repeat the events of Saturday each day going forward. - Patrik Walker

Micah

Despite releasing a statement on Friday requesting a trade from the Cowboys, Micah Parsons was on the practice field with a Cowboys hoodie and shorts, but without his number 11 jersey for the first time since the team arrived in Oxnard. Parsons spent some time with the quarterbacks and wide receivers on one side of the field, but once again did not participate in on the field activities. - Tommy Yarrish

Dak to CeeDee

The Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb connection that hasn't been in Oxnard since 2023 is all the way back, as the two connected on two deep balls that drew loud cheers from the Cowboys faithful in attendance on Saturday. On the first throw, Prescott placed the ball perfectly over good coverage from DaRon Bland, and after bobbling the pass heading to the ground, Lamb held on and came down with the ball for what was the play of the day. - Tommy Yarrish

La'el Watch

Veteran La'el Collins, who has played 74 career games with the Cowboys with three different stints, is expected to work out on Friday. The Cowboys are without left tackle Tyler Guyton for at least another 4-5 weeks with a knee injury.
Collins, who joined the team in 2015, started 71 games in Dallas at both guard and tackle.

Dak Prescott said he was excited when he saw Collins on Thursday, just a day before the workout, mentioning they have remained friends and "went fishing this offseason."

Collins hasn't played in an NFL game since 2022, but has had a couple of stints with the Cowboys on the practice squad later in the season.

This offseason, Collins made at least two trips to The Star in Frisco, attending the retirement press conferences for both Zack Martin and Tyron Smith, where he told media members of his desires to return to football again. – Nick Eatman

Shemar James

Matt Eberflus has a knack for bringing along linebackers, and got a fun new project to work on following the draft when the Cowboys picked Shemar James from Florida in the fifth-round. Already, James has worked his way up to taking reps with the first team defense and has flashed some of the attributes of his game that made him an intriguing prospect, like closing speed and being able to hit hard. Now, he needs to continue putting together the mental aspect of the game, something that Eberflus will certainly be able to provide. - Tommy Yarrish

Who Wants It More?

Jalen Tolbert has been fairly consistent in camp, but the battle for WR3 is hot-and-heavy thanks to what undrafted rookie Traeshon Holden and Jonathan Mingo are doing on a daily basis, at least as of late. Holden has turned this week into the Holden Highlight Reel, scoring two touchdowns (again) on Thursday, while Mingo continues to show his hand strength and ability to separate as well.

Both are athletic but in different ways — Holden being more of a Peter Parker-type while Mingo's hands have the strength of The Thing from Fantastic Four. On one play, in one-on-one drills, Mingo came down with a ball on a go route despite the defensive back having his hands all over it as the two went to the ground.

Holden climbed the ladder the day before for a one-handed grab that sent the crowd into a frenzy, though. It all makes you wonder just how difficult it'll eventually be for the Cowboys to figure out who, and how many, receivers to carry on the active roster come September. - Patrik Walker

Hoffman/Bass

Injuries have piled up for the Cowboys along the offensive line, and things continued on Thursday when starting left guard Tyler Smith left practice early after multiple reports indicated he was dealing with some knee soreness. In his place, Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass took reps with the first team offense at left guard, and rookie Tyler Booker, who played left guard in college at Alabama, was kept on the right side as he continues to get acclimated to playing there. - Tommy Yarrish

Victory Formation

There has been a lot of rightful talk regarding just how dominant the defense has looked to this point in training camp. Things are beginning to shift a bit in the favor of the offense and, on Thursday, in a big way. Dak Prescott, George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb and KaVonte Turpin put on a show in what became, hands down, the most convincing day so far by the offensive side of the ball.

It seems Prescott and Co. are starting to settle into Brian Schottenheimer's scheme and, as such, are beginning to give the defense a lot to think about, both pre snap and during the reps.

This can only lend to the whole "iron sharpens iron" mantra and it will ultimately benefit the Cowboys to see what's becoming a heavyweight bout unfold right in front of their eyes in Oxnard; and it bears mentioning that the interior of the offensive line, despite having a second-year center and a first-year right guard, has looked sensational as of late. - Patrik Walker

Finally!

At long last, Dak Prescott and George Pickens connected on a deep ball during Monday's practice. Brian Schottenheimer said that they were being patient with downfield shots early in camp as he wants his players to get their feet under them in order to avoid soft tissue injuries, but a couple here and there never hurt, right? - Tommy Yarrish

Sidelined

Brevyn Spann-Ford had been having a solid camp so far, with a few really nice plays under his belt before suffering an ankle injury win Sunday's first padded practice.

On Monday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed Spann-Ford will be about "a few weeks," likely meaning he has a high-ankle sprain.

The second-year tight end might not have any more practice time here in Oxnard but could possibly make it back for one of the final two preseason games on either Aug. 16 or Aug. 22.

In the meantime, the Cowboys will look to get more reps to backups John Stephens, Princeton Fant, Tyler Neville and Rivaldo Fairweather. - Nick Eatman

Guyton walking off the field

After one of, if not his best training camp practice this offseason, Cowboys left tackle Tyler Guyton went down awkwardly during a team period and laid on the ground for several minutes before walking off the field on his own power accompanied by Micah Parsons and the team's training staff. Guyton did not go to the white medical tent, instead straight back to the team's locker room to be evaluated. - Tommy Yarrish

Turpin Time?

One player Brian Schottenheimer would love to get involved with the offensive scheme more is KaVontae Turpin. This showed on Monday as Turpin received multiple targets in the passing game and was successful down the field.

One throw from Dak Prescott resulted on about a 20-yard completion down field, while another utilized his speed in the screen game.

Turpin, who signed a three-year, $18 million extension in the offseason, has been a two-time All-Pro kick return specialist but is expected to have a larger role in the offense this year. - Kyle Youmans

Watch for the Hook

There is much to be figured out by the Cowboys as it relates to the cornerback position, at least until Trevon Diggs and Shavon Revel are ready to return from the injured list, but the safety position is in great shape — no matter what angle you view it from — and Malik Hooker is leading the charge.

The former first-round pick is the resident veteran and leader of the group, and he's showing it more and more as training camp rolls along.

His best day was in the second padded practice, when Hooker was flying around with his hair on fire, making plays in run defense and breaking up pass plays on more than one occasion. His intensity is there as well, and though Brian Schottenheimer wants thuds and not actual hits that put the offensive player on the ground, Hooker had a few infractions regarding that matter.

So, yes, there's great depth with the return of Marquees Bell and the emergence of Juanyeh Thomas to combine with the presence of hard-hitting Donovan Wilson, but don't for one minute think Hooker can be overlooked. - Patrik Walker

Fowl Ball

It's an embarrassment of riches for the Cowboys at the defensive end position, and Dante Fowler helps make that true, having returned to Dallas after a career season with Dan Quinn and the Washington Commanders.

Fowler finds his way into the backfield often, and when he wins his rep, he wins it in glaring fashion.

This is true both as a pass rusher, having more than one potential sack that would belong to him if he was allowed to hit the quarterback in practice, but also several run stops for a loss as well.

It helps that he's in direct competition, including verbally, with rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku — the defensive line room creating a points system to push everyone to their full potential — and that only makes Fowler that much more dangerous for opposing offenses in 2025. - Patrilk Walker

Camp Crowded

The first Saturday of training camp 2025 saw the biggest crowd by far at the Oxnard River Ridge complex. Dak Prescott and the offense made a few big plays, as did the defense, giving plenty for the raucous crowd to get excited about. - Nick Eatman

Parris Campbell leaves practice with injury

Parris Campbell had to be helped off the field during the middle of Saturday's practice. Campbell, one of the fastest players on the team, suffered what appeared to be a lower-leg injury. He went to the medical tent and didn't return to practice. - Nick Eatman

Ending on a High Note

On the final play of practice in a redzone team drill, Joe Milton laid a pass up and high for Brevyn Spann-Ford in the back of the endzone, who went up over a defender to come down with the touchdown. Spann-Ford has already made an array of contested catches early in training camp, a welcome sign as improving his hands is the next step in his progression. - Tommy Yarrish

Filling the Gaps

With all the talk about turnovers being forced by the Cowboys' defense, the linebacker unit has quietly held their grown filling running lanes in the first four practices of camp. Namely, Damone Clark has popped up in the middle of plays a number of times, with his biggest play coming earlier in the week when he punched a ball free from Luke Schoonmaker. With Kenneth Murray missing practices for the birth of his child, Clark has taken advantage of his opportunities. - Tommy Yarrish

Who Nose?

With so much discussion circling the weight and utilization of Mazi Smith, it's rookie defensive tackle Jay Toia hoping to make a mark in the run defense, and more. Nobody's wondering if Toia has slimmed down, because he still looks every bit the 342 pounds he weighed entering the 2025 NFL Draft.

Furthermore, he's using it to his advantage in his first-ever training camp. When he's not being double teamed, a rarity, it seems, he's been seen bull rushing a lineman or two all the way back into the lap of the quarterback; and that's a great sign for what Matt Eberflus has planned for his defense. - Patrik Walker

Corner Store

With Trevon Diggs on the PUP list to start training camp and DaRon Bland away for the moment as he expects to welcome a newborn in his family, it's Kaiir Elam making waves at a cornerback position that is in desperate need of answers going into the 2025 season. On Saturday, Elam grabbed yet another interception at the expense of Schottenheimer's offense — marking his third of camp.

He then celebrated by hoisting up a young Cowboys fan from behind the barrier, one of the best moments you'll see in any NFL training camp, and it also shows Elam is truly enjoying his fresh start in Dallas. - Patrik Walker

Marist Liufau flies around

After Brian Schottenheimer mentioned Marist Liufau as a player he likes watching get after the passer, Liufau did just that on a rep that likely would've been a sack during team periods in practice. He also flashed his ability in coverage, breaking up a pass over the middle that was in Brevyn Spann-Ford's hands. - Tommy Yarrish

Looking for Depth

The Cowboys announced their four players on the injured lists to start camp, and three of them were cornerbacks. So with Trevon Diggs and Josh Butler on PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) and Shavon Revel on NFI (Non-Football Injury) all out for a while, it's not only putting pressure on the remaining top-line corners to perform, but giving the rest of the corners more looks on the field.

DaRon Bland is obviously manning one spot, but Kaiir Elam had a solid start to his first training camp with the Cowboys. Elam, who was acquired via trade with the Bills this offseason, looked more than comfortable in his first day practicing at camp. He had two plays where he was stride for stride down the field with both George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb and broke up a pass over the middle intended for Jalen Tolbert.

Elam, a former first-round pick of the Bills in 2022, had two interceptions in Buffalo as a rookie but has yet to pick off a pass in the last two years. The Cowboys are counting on him to be on of their starters, while a host of other youngsters are getting reps including Israel Mukuamu, Caelen Carson, Andrew Booth, Kemon Hall and Troy Pride all took their share of reps on Tuesday. - Nick Eatman

The Lay of the 'Land

It took all of one practice for Kneeland to show that my faith in him as my dark horse is well-placed, considering it was he, not a cornerback or linebacker, who grabbed the first interception of 2025 training camp — when Dak Prescott's only mistake of the day was to try and check down a pass to a defender being covered by the young pass rusher.

It ended in the former second-round pick taking away the ball, shedding a would-be tackler or two and rattling off several yards for Matt Eberflus' defense, and to a raucous applause and celebration by Kneeland's defensive compatriots. I'll say it again: keep your eyes on him. - Patrik Walker

Dante's Inferno

Back like he never left, only seemingly better and/or more motivated to prove he's one of the best pass rushers in the league when given the reps, Dante Fowler left his imprint all over the first practice. His most notable contribution was on an attempted handoff from Dak Prescott to JaVonte Williams. Fowler teleported to the backfield and nearly got to the ball before Williams did, on a play that would've been destroyed if the players were in a padded practice.

His first step and football IQ are a dangerous combination that makes Fowler, who is also coming off of a career season for the Commanders, an impact player off of the edge that looks to raise hell for the Cowboys in 2025. - Patrik Walker

Backup Plan

While the Cowboys have said Joe Milton and Will Grier would potentially compete for the backup reps, it was mostly Milton on the first day of practice. In fact, Milton got nearly as many as Dak Prescott as the Cowboys worked the No. 2 and No. 3 units often.

Milton, whom the Cowboys traded for this offseason from the Patriots, had a few nice throws down the field, but he was off-target a few times as well. Milton also fumbled twice, including once while running down the field. It was one of several fumbles by the offense as the Cowboys defense was aggressively poking the ball out to go along with a couple of interceptions in team drills.

For now, Milton is getting plenty of reps and looks to be in the lead for any competition to be Dak Prescott's backup. - Nick Eatman

Early George Pickens flashes

There were a few plays where new Cowboys WR George Pickens and Dak Prescott weren't on the same page, which is to be expected early on in their time together issues that should be fixed now at training camp. There were also plays where they did connect, and you got to see flashes of what could be, including Prescott finding Pickens over the middle on a rollout, and a throw to the far sideline where Pickens found another gear and took off. - Tommy Yarrish

Showing leadership

Growth as a leader is something that Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones has been very adamant that he wants to see from Micah Parsons before giving him a large contract extension. So, with Parsons potentially holding in at camp and not participating on the field, what does that look like?

"I want him popping those young guys on the butt, and rah-rahing and moving around out there, and showing good body language and just involved because he can be, and he is a leader," Jones said. "And those guys, he's going to have to count on them to get to the Super Bowl."

Parsons showed some of that presence during minicamp and OTAs, where he joined his teammates on the practice field and even participated in a couple drills. Now, the question is if he'll do the same thing in Oxnard.

Turning the corner?

It's justified to say that, at least at the beginning of training camp, that the Cowboys are in dire straits at the position. That's because Trevon Diggs and Josh Butler will both start out on the PUP list, while rookie third-round pick Shavon Revel goes to NFI at the moment; and then there's the reality that Caelon Carson is working his way back from a season-ending shoulder injury; but Brian Schottenheimer sees a silver lining there.

"I see it as a positive," the head coach said. "I can see where there are issues, but it gives you a chance to look at the younger players. Our objective to come out of these first two weeks, before we get into the joint practice with the Rams, is to see all these compete. We wanna see who is developing and who took the things we taught in the spring and will carry over.

"… You can look at it like, 'Oh, it's a negative for continuity.' We'll get that figured out. We need to figure out and make the right evaluation of these guys so that when it comes time to trim the roster, that we're keeping the guys that fit our football team — not just as a player, but as a person."

Frontrunner at RB, or nah?

Dating back nearly 15 years, you'd be hard-pressed to find many, if any, situations wherein the Cowboys entered training camp without at least an inkling of who their lead running back will be, but that is indeed the situation going in the 2025 version, and with four new faces in the group, no less.

JaVonte Williams and Miles Sanders are the longest-tenured NFL veterans of the bunch, true enough, but is there a glimmer of a frontrunner right now?

"They'll all get fair shots. The problem with OTAs, for a running back, is that the game is meant to be played very physically. The way you run through the holes differently when you're in pads is different than when you're running in shorts and t-shirts. They'll all get [first-team] reps."

He's the (Land) Man

The middle of Monday's opening press conference took an unusual turn, thanks mainly to a statement regarding Jerry Jones' cameo scene in the TV series "Landman," starring Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore and Jon Hamm on Paramount+. Just a simple mentioning, led to a few follow-up questions about Jones' Season 1 appearance in an emotional scene in which he plays himself, and tells a true-life story to Hamm's character, who is in the hospital.

Jones was asked directly if he felt he should've won an award for his performance, and after a playful back-and-forth, he discussed the show, which was ranked as the No. 1 series on Paramount+ last year.

"I will say this, it was a great pleasure to work with those guys that were there," Jones said, mentioning that Billy Bob Thornton grew up about 30 miles from Jones' household in Arkansas. "I spent about six or seven hours doing (the shoot). It was a really, really good experience."

It's not the first popular series Jones has been on. Back in 2010, Jones also played himself in the later seasons of Entourage on HBO.

Addressing Turpin's Situation

For the first time since his arrest on July 5, the Cowboys spoke publicly on KaVontae Turpin's situation and status with the team.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked to address Turpin, who was arrested in Allen, Texas on charges of unlawfully carrying a weapon and marijuana possession. He was jailed and released on the two misdemeanor charges.

"I spoke to Turp," Schottenheimer said. "He talked through a lot of things. He understands that there is a standard with how we conduct ourselves. He knows that he needs to be better, but we won't get into all of the specifics."

Schottenheimer wouldn't get into detail on a possible fine or if the NFL would be involved with any disciplinary action.

Turpin has made the last two Pro Bowls as a return specialist and signed a three-year, $18 million extension this offseason.

Eager to win

It's finally time for Brian Schottenheimer to get his first shot at an NFL head coaching job after nearly three decades of coaching experience. Inspired by his past and especially his father, legendary coach Marty Schottenheimer, he's more motivated than ever to bring a championship back to Dallas.

"The hunger I have now is for the young men in that locker room, its for the Joneses," Schottenheimer said. "When we win a Super bowl, my dad will get a ring. I can promise you that. But this is something where I grew up with a father that there was one goal, and he was very open talking about Super Bowls and winning the world's championship and he never did it…" Schottenheimer said.

"These guys over here [the Joneses] have Super Bowls. They've won rings. I don't have one, and I want one in the worst way."

That work begins on Tuesday with the first official practice at training camp, where Schottenheimer gets Dak Prescott back under center as the Cowboys begin installing their gameplans for 2025.