With the Dallas Cowboys training camp practices so far focusing on a lot of unpadded, seven-on-seven drills, the team’s passing-game skill positions both sides of the ball have had a chance to stand out the most. The time will come to see more from many of the new starters Dallas is breaking in over the coming weeks in Oxnard, especially along the offensive line with rookie first- and third-round draft picks Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe, as well as at running back with the return of Ezekiel Elliott joining Rico Dowdle and others in a committee approach. With questions at both key positions left unanswered, what we have seen so far is players the Cowboys will surely be relying on to win games in 2024 make the highlight plays.
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Jalen Tolbert stole the show on day one, making the most of every rep he can get with the team’s best receiver CeeDee Lamb not present. With the likes of Tolbert, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Brooks, rookie Ryan Flournoy, and even Tyron Billy-Johnson looking to give the Cowboys secondary a formidable test in these practices, it was last year’s NFL record breaker that helped the defense respond on day two with DaRon Bland doing what he does best and making plays on the ball. Bland is entering year three having followed up a strong rookie performance by intercepting a league-high nine passes and returning five for touchdowns - something that had never been done before. The hype continues to grow for Bland to somehow be even better this season, not only teaming up with Trevon Diggs who returns from an ACL tear but a new defensive coordinator in Mike Zimmer.
Diggs has yet to practice with the team in Oxnard yet, starting training camp on PUP but getting closer to being able to rejoin a defense that was without him since week three a year ago.
With Zimmer’s defenses historically having strong secondaries that force tight throws from opposing offenses, and this already being a strength for Dallas under previous DC Dan Quinn and secondary coach Al Harris, it’s no surprise this group is having a strong start to training camp and could be one of the strengths of the entire team all season. The Cowboys not only were able to retain Harris on their coaching staff for this season, but now have the 14-year NFL veteran as assistant head coach to help this team even more.
Harris has been on the Cowboys staff since 2020 as an assistant, working his way up with strong player relations and the attention to detail to prepare a secondary for the given receivers they’ll face on a weekly basis. With the Cowboys only having their own crop of receivers to throw against this secondary for the coming weeks, outside of preseason games, the opportunities should continue for these defensive backs to stand out.
To do so, there are still plenty of questions to answer for how this secondary will line up outside of three strong projected starters, and even more about what the front seven in front of them will look like. The Cowboys lost pass rushers Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler in the division to the Commanders, but still have Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland to get after quarterbacks and help this ball-hawking secondary take the ball away. Unfortunately it looks like they may not have Sam Williams.
Parsons’ work in the early parts of camp has included more than just pass rushing though, lining up some at off-ball linebacker. This is another spot the Cowboys are trying to sort out their projected starters at, with DeMarvion Overshown coming back for what could be his first full season after tearing his ACL in the preseason as a rookie. Just how much pressure is on Overshown to be a quality starter right away will depend on what the Cowboys get from Damone Clark as well as third-round pick Marist Liufau from Notre Dame.
NFL: Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
While fans will be looking to know who can start at these positions in week one by the time camp ends, the Cowboys, like all teams, will need time early in the season to develop players and consider lineup changes while relying on their established stars to still win games. This is exactly what a possible starting cornerback trio of Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis may give the Cowboys under the guidance of Zimmer and Harris.
With cornerback being one of the top positions where depth is needed throughout the season, there are still a ton of important training camp reps to be had for CBs further down the roster like Josh Butler, fifth-round pick Caelen Carson, Nahshon Wright, and second-year player Eric Scott Jr. If any of these players can follow up the strong start established by Bland, and the Cowboys own passing offense comes into its own with Dak Prescott building chemistry with receivers besides Lamb, the competition on both sides of the ball will be just heating up in Oxnard.
For a team that has desperately tried to improve in the trenches under Mike McCarthy in hopes of being a team capable of making a deep playoff run, the Cowboys have tried again this offseason while not compromising the team strengths that have led them to 12 wins in three consecutive seasons. It hasn’t taken long for flash plays from Tolbert or Bland to remind everyone of the talent this team still has to at least repeat as division champions, despite a free agency period and offseason filled with doubt.
Rather than waiting until players are in full pads to get the most out of these practices so far, where players like Guyton, Tyler Smith, and Mazi Smith will have a better chance to shine, the Cowboys have picked up where the best of their 2023 season left them by making some big plays through the air on both sides of the ball.
