OXNARD, Calif. — Here are some of the top storylines from Thursday's practice here in Oxnard:
Deep Six: It took a little while for the deep ball to connect for Brian Schottenheimer's offense in camp, but it's now alive and thriving. Dak Prescott launched throws to George Pickens and then to KaVontae Turpin that both ended in touchdowns -- showcasing how dangerous the Cowboys' offense can be. - (Patrik Walker)
Quick Exit - Tyler Smith didn't finish Thursday's practice before leaving early for the locker room. Multiple media reports are suggesting "knee soreness" for the reason Smith left the field. The starting left guard was participating in team drills for a few plays before leaving. He was replaced by T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman for the first-team reps.
Pick' Your Poison: When Pickens wasn't reeling in a downfield pass for a touchdown or doing damage underneath with quick routes, he was cooking in the red zone, where he and Prescott delivered not one, but two touchdowns... and back-to-back... showcasing Pickens' insane hands and footwork. - (Patrik Walker)
Damone Deflections: With Kenneth Murray still not back at camp, Damone Clark has seen an uptick in snaps with the first team defense and continues to make plays, including a pass breakup on Dak Prescott who was trying to fit in a pass to Jake Ferguson in the seam. Clark seems to really be benefitting from Matt Eberflus' scheme this offseason. - (Tommy Yarrish)
Too Eze: Rookie second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku has been one of the stars of training camp thus far, and had another good practice again on Thursday. His best rep came against Terence Steele, where he used his hands to blow past Steele and force Dak Prescott to scramble up the middle. . - (Tommy Yarrish)
Turpedo Speed – If one thing seems clear about the way the Cowboys are going to utilize their weapons – KaVontae Turpin is certainly one of them. And not just as a return specialist, either. Turpin's versatility was on display in Thursday's practice as the Cowboys ran a reverse to the speedster, who out of the backfield as a running back. Turpin followed Tyler Smith down the field for what appeared to be a big-gain of 20 yards before any defender could touch him. But a few moments later, as a receiver in the slot, Turpin got loose down the field for a deep ball, catching a perfectly-thrown pass from Dak Prescott for a 50+ yard touchdown. - (Nick Eatman)
Dak to Business: It's tough to find a practice where Dak Prescott has diced up the defense like he did on Thursday. With multiple deep throws to Turpin and Pickens to set the tone, he was also connecting with receivers underneath the secondary as well. He appeared to work through his pre-snap calls with confidence and complete his post-snap progressions quickly as well. Overall, it was an impressive and efficient practice from QB1. - (Kyle Youmans)
Holding their own: There were some positive things from the interior defensive line in Thursday's practice. Players like Denzel Daxon and Jay Toia each registered what would've been a sack, while other reps showcased some front runners like Solomon Thomas and Osa Odighizuwa. The interior defensive line remains a massive question mark for the season, but if the starters and depth can continue to stack good practices, it would be a key to the defensive success. - (Kyle Youmans)
