OXNARD, Calif. – The Cowboys wrapped up their final training camp practice in Oxnard on Thursday, and Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones took a lot of positive things away from Dallas' 20th visit to the west coast.
"The work, as well as the improvement individually of the players, is above my expectation," Jones said. "Certainly, it's positive. One of the reasons we're out here is you get a lot of reps. Soft tissue issues aren't as much because of the weather. We've taken advantage of that."
"We've gotten a lot of reps, and within those reps we've seen some young players that didn't disappoint. And we also saw some veteran players that are new to the team that are fitting right in with the coaching they're getting. When you weight all of that, I really am excited about where we are."
When asked about who stood out to him at camp, Jones complimented the Cowboys' WR and QB rooms, but discussed at length how impressed he was with what new DC Christian Parker is doing in Dallas' secondary.
"I think you're seeing the benefit, or you're seeing the results of good communication out there, and you're seeing players that are actually playing at a level that they can attain because of good communication," Jones said. "They're not worried about as much if they're making a mistake with where they are, they've got a good feel for it. And that's the point, that's what they're trying to do. So I see the effect of what we're trying to do on defense relative to communication, and then I obviously really like the players and their individual abilities to execute."
In their joint practice with the Saints earlier in the week, there were multiple skirmishes and fights between both sides, which Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was "disappointed" by.
On Thursday, the NFL handed down a $500,000 fine to both the Cowboys and Saints for the incidents that occurred. Jones understands why.
"There's certainly a very strong opinion in the league to when we have these joint practices, everybody's aware of the competition, both individually as well as through the team," Jones said. "We understand that you don't have the discipline of penalties that are real difference makers out here. And frankly, you probably don't have the officiating consequences. This game is physical, and it's easy to get involved with aggressive temperaments. All of that makes it a real focal point of the league to stay within good sport."
"Taking the helmets off, swinging and hitting, that type of thing is not good for anybody, and it's certainly not what we want to represent to our fans and as a league or as a team. It's understandable how they're coming down with a real severe fine."
That said, Jones said the Cowboys do plan to appeal the fine.
"That's pretty harsh, I mean, pretty stiff, not harsh, but stiff," Jones said. "But it does make the point that it's a serious matter, and it starts with everybody at all levels of a club, and the clubs in this case who are practicing together, it really emphasizes the league's intent to control it from the very top, which when they start dealing out those kinds of fines, they get your attention."
Jones added that team will fine in the individual players that were involved as well, as it's up to the team to decide how the fine is paid. One of the players that Jones was asked about was second-year OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku, who was ejected for the second time in training camp in that joint practice.
"I think that you have to have consequences, and that needs to register," Jones said. "We all know, whether you're playing a game or out here in society, if you aren't sensitive about the consequences of your behavior, then you'll get brought to your knees pretty quick. This is something that I, knowing him, I think he has the capability of being sensitive to consequences."
The Cowboys' Oxnard portion of training camp may be in the books, but Dallas still has work to do in training camp along with their two remaining preseason games. The Cowboys will hold two training camp practices at the Star in Frisco on August 25 and 26.
