Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Notebook | 2021

Backup Plan?

With starting quarterback Dak Prescott (shoulder sprain) unlikely to play in Saturday's third preseason game, Garrett Gilbert is in line for more reps once again – and he's got a better comfort level than last November, when he made his first career start on short notice against the Steelers.

"Certainly within the offense and the guys that I've been getting reps with," Gilbert said. "I feel real comfortable with being in the huddle. It doesn't feel foreign to me like maybe it did last year when I jumped in there or even in OTAs when I was still getting to know some of the guys. So that's the biggest thing and that breeds the ability to communicate and be on the same page and then that in turn breeds success. So that's the biggest thing."

Gilbert was asked if he's done enough in camp and preseason to win the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Prescott.

"That's not for me to decide," he said. "I'm going to go back to my same answer, which I know you're probably bored of, but I'm here to get better every day. I think it's something that's served me well in the past and I'm going to continue to working on it every day to just be the best quarterback for this team. That part is out of my control."

– Rob Phillips (8/18)

Take Your Pick

Maybe it's no coincidence that the Cowboys' training camp interception leaders, Trevon Diggs and Maurice Canady, are both former wide receivers.

Diggs, a second-round draft pick last year, has talked about how his receiver experience helped accelerate his defensive ball skills when he made the transition to cornerback at Alabama.

Canady, a fifth-year veteran who's having a strong first camp with the Cowboys, agrees with that perspective as a former high school wideout himself.

"We actually did a have little conversation about that," Canady said. "Me and him leading the team in picks right now in camp, I guess it holds serve."

Canady said he and Diggs have "about the same number" of interceptions in just under three weeks of practice: roughly five apiece. Who can finish camp with more? It's become a daily contest between the new teammates.

"Nothing too extreme – just a little competition," Canady said.

– Rob Phillips (8/18)

The Cowboys have lofty goals for where they want to be as an offense. To quote Ezekiel Elliott on offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's mindset: "In in our first meeting, Coach Kellen said our No. 1 goal this year is to be the No. 1 offense," he said.

That's a lofty goal regardless of the situation, but it does bring to mind the fact that Dak Prescott has missed three weeks of practice. There are bound to be questions about how quickly the Cowboys can get clicking without a lot of practice time.

On his end, Elliott said the veteran experience on the offense should help with that.

"We have a lot of veteran pieces and a lot of guys who have played a lot of football," he said.

"So it does suck we are not able to practice all together right now, but we will pick up when he gets back."

– David Helman (8/18)

Defense's Progress

Training camp continues when the Cowboys return from Oxnard, California, after Friday's preseason game at Arizona. But Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones has been pleased with the defense's progress under first-year coordinator Dan Quinn.

"I just think he's doing an outstanding job. It just feels totally different," Jones said. "And that's not anything against (former defensive coordinator) Mike Nolan. Mike was in a tough situation and he certainly had a philosophy on defense that was hard to implement in a year of COVID, when you didn't get your hands on your team until pretty much almost where we are right now. It was the first time the guys showed up and you were able to work with them.

"Here we've had a complete offseason, minicamp, quarterback school and a full training camp where you're working with them every day in person, looking at them eye to eye. It's a big difference." 

— Rob Phillips (8/11)

Tank, Amari Update

Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said wide receiver Amari Cooper (ankle) and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (back) will "work more and more" into practice when training camp continues back in Frisco, Texas.

Both players have been taken off the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, making them eligible to participate in walkthroughs and eventually practice with an eye toward the regular-season opener.

"We want to get them back into the mock games, get the mental part of it going," head coach Mike McCarthy said.

— Rob Phillips (8/11)

Fullback Injured

Head coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that fullback Sewo Olonilua will be about "a while," at least through the rest of preseason, due to a neck injury sustained last Thursday against the Steelers.

"That's the shame about Sewo: he had an opportunity to be potentially a primary special teamer for us," McCarthy said. "He has that body type that he can play almost some of the movement tight end assignments and things like that. The flexibility of having a fullback that has the multiplicity of playing special teams and being able to move around, I think we've seen more and more of it here in the last three or four years in the league, and it's coming back."

— Rob Phillips (8/11)

Getting Close

Safety Malik Hooker did some individual work in pads for the first time in training camp, and Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones believes Hooker will ramp up his practice work soon.

"Hopefully next week. Hopefully he'll be jumping in," Jones said.

Hooker signed with the Cowboys on July 27, but the club has made an effort to gradually increase his field work because he missed the final 14 games of last season with a torn Achilles' tendon as a member of the Colts.

"Getting better. He's getting close," head coach Mike McCarthy said.

— Rob Phillips (8/11)

Draft Pick Recap

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said one of the coaching staff's main focuses was to evaluate the players who had never played in an NFL game setting before. With a draft class of 11 players, it's not surprising that a bunch of rookies got significant playing time.

Quinn specifically mentioned that he was happy with the performances of Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohanna, who saw a lot of snaps at defensive tackle. He was also encouraged by what he saw from cornerbacks Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright. 

"It was good to see Odighizuwa and Bohanna play a lot inside, being physical and going. That part felt good for me," he said. "We wanted to take a good, long look at some safeties. We did that. The corners played a bunch, Joseph and Wright."

— David Helman (8/10)

Still Hunter the Punter

In the first preseason game last Thursday, Hunter Niswander stood out mostly for his two missed field goals, although one was blocked. 

On Tuesday, special teams coordinator John Fassel clarified Niswander as still a punter, competing with veteran Bryan Anger for the spot. 

"Hunter is absolutely competing," Fassel said. "But there's some things with the mechanics and operations, ball placement that he still needs to work on. I think he's a developmental punter. I think it's great for Bryan to have his competition." 

Fassel expounded on the point, stating Niswander is simply just filling in for Greg Zuerlein, who is rehabbing his back injury.

"To Hunter's credit, he's a punter-specialist who can kick off," Fassel said. "We're just asking him to kick field goals because we don't have anyone else who can do it. Kicking field goals isn't his specialty. He's helping us until Greg gets back." 

— Nick Eatman (8/10)

The Big Five?

Fassel also talked about the importance of core special teamers. While special teams duties often fall to younger players who don't have a role on offense or defense, Fassel was asked about the importance of having core guys who you can build the special teams unit around.

"I think you have about five 'core four' studs. And then you'll have a couple more that might play three phases," Fassel said. "I always thought you had about five guys that are 'core four' contributors and critical positions, then you can win matchups and you can win games on (special) teams."

Fassel has long praised C.J. Goodwin as the ace of his special teams, and the stats back that up as Goodwin led the team with 10 special teams tackles last fall. If you're trying to connect the dots on who the others might be, Luke Gifford, Darian Thompson, Donovan Wilson, Dorance Armstrong, Rico Dowdle and Noah Brown were all among the team leaders in special teams snaps last year.

— David Helman (8/10)

Dak to Amari

It wasn't much, but Dak Prescott was back to throwing.

The Cowboys went through a mock game – basically a walkthrough – on Tuesday morning. It was an unpadded session at half speed, without much in the way of physical exertion. Not much for the average viewer to get excited about.

Having said that, it was exciting to see Prescott throwing a football. It's been roughly two weeks since the Cowboys' star quarterback stopped throwing at practice with a muscle strain, but he was working his way back during Tuesday's session.

Apart from warming up his arm at the start of practice, Prescott also turned heads by working through a fairly extensive workout with Amari Cooper – who was just activated off the PUP list on Tuesday morning.

It wasn't a strenuous workout, but Prescott and Cooper worked their way down the field, throwing and catching a couple dozen times. These were soft, easy throws, averaging between eight and 20 yards downfield. Definitely not the rigorous type of throwing routines we've gotten used to seeing from Prescott – but a step in the right direction.

At this point, it feels like a foregone conclusion that Prescott won't have a role in the Cowboys' preseason game at Arizona, which is already just three days away. But it will be interesting to see if his workload continues to increase in the coming days.

— David Helman (8/10)

On Guard ... And Center

We knew Connor Williams was going to be tested here during the practice with the Rams, who have arguably the NFL's best defensive player in Aaron Donald. But not only did Williams block him, but took the fight to him as well, literally.

Williams and Donald mixed it up, and that led to what was really the only big skirmish of the practice against the Rams Saturday. Williams faced Donald in some individual drills as well and held his own against the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Williams also got some snaps at center, even with the first-team offense. The Cowboys mix and match the linemen with different personnel groups, but Williams moved back and forth from guard to center.

— Nick Eatman (8/7)

Schedule Change

The Cowboys will have three straight days without practice after playing Thursday's preseason opener against the Steelers in Canton, Ohio, getting back to Oxnard around dawn Friday morning and hosting the Rams on Saturday.

The players are off Sunday and will do weight room and film work Monday. Instead of practicing Tuesday, they'll hold a "mock game" style walkthrough, McCarthy said.

"These next three days are about corrections, meeting, getting things set for (the second preseason game at) Arizona (next Friday)," McCarthy said. "But it's important for these guys to get their bodies back in shape where they need to be. They definitely deserve this break."

— Rob Phillips (8/7)

Injuries & Absences

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush did not practice against the Rams due a shoulder injury and could miss a couple of days, McCarthy said.

Rush completed 8 of 13 passes for 70 yards in Thursday's preseason game against the Steelers.

Defensive end Tarell Basham and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore suffered sprained ankles in the practice with the Rams, but neither issue appears to be serious.

Tight end Dalton Schultz was excused from Saturday's practice for personal reasons.

— Rob Phillips (8/7)

Light Throwing

Dak Prescott continued to be held out of throwing drills in Saturday's joint practice with the Rams due to a strained shoulder muscle, but he has progressed to some light throwing, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said.

"He's making a lot of progress," McCarthy said. "Staying back (in Oxnard for the preseason opener against the Steelers) he was able to get some extra treatment and do some extra things. Once again, this is more us than him. This is us being cautious. I feel really good about where he is."

Prescott hasn't thrown in practice since feeling a little tightness in his shoulder on July 28. The Cowboys practice again Wednesday as their stay in Oxnard starts to wind down.

Could Prescott get in some throwing then?

"Just see how his progression goes," McCarthy said. "He's doing some things as far as the throwing. Everything's on a rep count, so we'll just see how he progresses."

— Rob Phillips (8/7)

Boost Up Front

Tyron Smith and Zack Martin didn't make the trip to Canton, Ohio, for the Hall of Fame game in the interest of sparing starters for Saturday's practice. With the Cowboys back on the West Coast, McCarthy confirmed that the All-Pro duo will be available to scrimmage against the Los Angeles Rams.

"They'll part of the practice tomorrow," McCarthy said.

La'el Collins will also be available for Saturday after playing a handful of snaps against the Steelers on Thursday night. McCarthy said the majority of the guys who only played one series against Pittsburgh will get some work against L.A.

With the Rams bringing talents like Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd up the road from Los Angeles, there should be plenty of intrigue around the offensive and defensive line play.

— David Helman (8/6)

Tank's Path

DeMarcus Lawrence was taken off the PUP list ahead of Tuesday's practice, clearing him to take the field for the first time this year. But it sounds like it might still be a minute before he does so. McCarthy was asked about Lawrence's availability and wasn't in a rush about it.

"Slower. The biggest thing…I mean, he's in great shape, he's done everything we've asked," he said. "But same deal. DeMarcus has done a lot of great things here and we just want to make sure we get him on the right path and it's a new defense, so it's just to get him in there and get the little things repped, the details of it."

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said at the outset of camp that Lawrence likely wouldn't take the field until the team returned to Texas, so this shouldn't come as a huge surprise. It sounds like the plan is to begin working Lawrence back into the mix after next weekend's game in Arizona, as the preseason draws toward its final two weeks.

— David Helman (8/6)

Ball Update

It unfortunately sounds like it will be a little bit longer for rookie offensive tackle Josh Ball, who left practice with an ankle injury this past week.

McCarthy said the injury is "multiple-week," which sounds like it's going to sideline Ball until after the team leaves training camp. He noted that it's possible Ball could be ready for the preseason game against Houston on Aug. 21, but that remains to be seen.

It's an unlucky time for an absence for Ball. The Cowboys have been mixing and matching their personnel on the offensive line for the past week while looking for the right combinations, but Ball is going to have at least a slight wait for a chance to get involved again.

— David Helman (8/6)

Malik Hooker's Return

It sounds like Malik Hooker is going to start getting involved.

It remains to be seen how much, but the newly-signed safety is expected to begin upping his workload at training camp, to hear it from Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy.

"We're going to advance him. Exactly how much hasn't been set yet," McCarthy said Friday evening. "We have a staff meeting tomorrow. Once we get all the medical in, we'll make those decisions."

That's obviously a vague description, and for good reason. Hooker just signed about a week into camp after tearing his Achilles last October, and he hasn't had a traditional offseason program.

The coaching staff undoubtedly will take things slow to start. But after acclimating for the last few practices, it sounds like the veteran will be taking part very soon.

— David Helman (8/6)

Rush Ready

Cooper Rush's first NFL game happened to be the 2017 preseason Hall of Fame Game, when he threw a touchdown pass in a win over the Cardinals as an undrafted rookie.

Now Rush is set to return to Canton, Ohio in a familiar setting: competing for a backup quarterback spot once again in Thursday's Hall of Fame Game against the Steelers.

"That's the life of the backup QB. You're always battling for it, you love playing ball, you love competing. Just exciting to have the preseason games this year to be able to go and show in a game environment kind of what you're about."

– Rob Phillips (8/1)

Approach To HOF Game?

What is head coach Mike McCarthy looking to accomplish in Thursday's preseason Hall of Fame Game against the Steelers?

"I think the most important thing is we want to go out and compete and go out and establish our play style as a football team," he said. "But I definitely am factoring in Saturday's work (in an upcoming joint practice with the Rams). We're looking at the combination of Thursday's work and Saturday as one. We're trying to find some balance in those reps because you keep track of everybody's workload. … The snaps of players in Thursday's game will definitely be tied to their projected snaps in Saturday's practice."

– Rob Phillips (8/1)

Joint Practice Ahead

Head coach Mike McCarthy provided a glimpse into what Saturday's joint practice with the Rams will look like after the team returns from Thursday's preseason opener against the Steelers.

"It's going to be a very situation-heavy practice," McCarthy said. "We'll pretty much hit every situation. And it gives you a chance to train in a little safer environment than playing in a game. (Rams head coach Sean McVay) has done it a lot of late. I'm excited for our guys."

– Rob Phillips (8/1)

Phase Four

DeMarcus Lawrence says he's in "phase three" of his rehab from an offseason clean-up surgery on his back.

What's phase four, then?

"Practicing," the veteran defensive end said. "They just took me off PUP (the Physically Unable to Perform list), so I feel like they'll work me back in, running plays with the team and stuff.

And then phase four is getting back out there practicing doing all the movements, putting the pads on, hitting, all that."

That means the two-time Pro Bowler is getting closer.

By coming off the Active/PUP list Tuesday, Lawrence is now eligible to return to practice. But the Cowboys will be careful not to rush him back before the start of the regular season.

Lawrence has had back surgery in the past but said this procedure in the spring wasn't as significant.

"It's different this time because it's not a bulging disc, it's just a herniation," he said. "You've got to clean the herniation out, sew it back up and you're good to go.

"It's all about, especially eight years in the league and understanding the game, it's all about working smart, not working hard and dumb. … I feel like I'm in a good spot."

– Rob Phillips (8/1)

Extra Work

It's never good for QB1 to sit out of practice, but there is at least some silver lining to Dak Prescott resting his sore throwing shoulder these last few days. With Prescott watching from behind the huddle, the Cowboys' younger quarterbacks are getting an unexpected opportunity to see the field.

"Last year during camp, I'd get two or three reps a day," said Ben DiNucci on Sunday. "That's tough for your confidence, right, when you're coming from college where you're the guy for a few years and you get every rep in practice."

DiNucci is currently rotating second-team reps with Cooper Rush, while Garrett Gilber handles all the first-team work in Prescott's absence. But, as he noted, even second-team action can mean a dozen or more team reps per day, as opposed to just a handful.

"I had a really good first few days, had middle few days and these last two days I've picked up the slack a little bit," he said.

Considering how little DiNucci got to do before he was thrown into the fire last year, every little bit should help.

— David Helman (8/1)

Healthy Competition

The Cowboys are only four practices into training camp, but they feel good about the competition on their 90-man roster.

"It will be real hard right now to say, 'Who's your 53 guys (on the final roster)?'" Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said recently. "Lot of times it's a lot easier to (say), 'I think he's going to be on the 53.' We've got 65 guys who could be on the 53. Easily.

"The competition is going to be really good. That should help us in terms of depth if we do have some injuries."

— Rob Phillips (8/1)

Amari & D-Law Update

Wide receiver Amari Cooper and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence have yet to be activated from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, but head coach Mike McCarthy likes the progress they're making.

"They're both in really good shape," McCarthy said. "Amari, he looks great. Everything's been extremely positive from the strength staff. I know him and (athletic trainers) Britt (Brown) and Jim (Maurer) were trying to talk about a potential timeline of when he thinks he'll come off of PUP. We're still working through that. His weight is as low as it's been since I've worked with him. He looks great.

"And D-Law, same deal. He's in tremendous shape. Those timelines will be discussed here probably in about a week."

Cooper had minor ankle surgery after the 2020 season, and Lawrence had a clean-up procedure on his back in the spring.

— Rob Phillips (8/1)

Quinn's Style

From watching his vocal coaching style to listening to his interviews, we're starting to get a more complete picture of Dan Quinn's coaching style. Throughout training camp, Cowboys defenders have also expressed their appreciation for his player-first mentality.

The term "player's coach" doesn't mean "easy," though. If anything, it sounds like the members of this team enjoy the standard that's being set at these practices.

"I would say he puts responsibility on you. He holds you accountable. He's not taking no for an answer. He's not taking no half-assing," said Anthony Brown.

It's only training camp, but it seems to be translating. The Cowboys' defense stonewalled the offense in the red zone on Sunday, and they added another interception to this year's tally.

— David Helman (8/1)

Mojo Moment

At some point during training camp practice here in Oxnard, you'll hear NBC's Sunday Night Football theme and a radio-guy voice say, "It's time for a Mojo Moment!"

What exactly does that mean?

Well, it's head coach Mike McCarthy's way of spicing up practice. It's a "mystery" drill within each day's practice script, unbeknownst to the players and even the coaching staff.

"It's just another way of emphasizing the momentum changes in the game," McCarthy said. "Momentum is such a big part of the game of football, the ability to react to adversity, plays, situations, the ups and downs. You see that in the way practice is designed. We get in and out of a number of situations.

"I felt that was an area we really needed to improve on from last year. Our players are doing a great job with it. Just another fancy way to say the same thing over and over again. And I think any time you get a chance to use an "Austin Powers" film clip, you should take advantage of it."

Sunday's "Mojo Moment" was a situational team drill: offense trailing 35-30 from the 14-yard line, 18 seconds left, fourth-and-11. Touchdown wins the game.

The first- and second-team offenses threw incompletions in the end zone, but quarterback Ben DiNucci scrambled for a touchdown to give the third-team an edge.

– Rob Phillips (8/1)

Don't Forget About LVE Either

Dan Quinn doesn't seem to be a coach that is worried about the narrative. Although Leighton Vander Esch was not given the fifth-year option is now entering 2021 in a contract year, the fourth-year linebacker has caught the eye of his new DC.

"I've been really impressed by him. It's not just the speed. It's the technique that he's using, trusting where he's at, what to do," Quinn said of Vander Esch. "I knew in the offseason that he was going to work hard on his tackling. From the linebacker standpoint for Jaylon and Leighton both, I felt their intensity from the offseason about what they wanted to improve upon. I see that carrying over into their work. They're both very intentional about what they want to get better at. I've definitely seen that come on the field."
Vander Esch has spent most of his time this camp at the WILL linebacker spot but it's hard to gauge just how Quinn is going to utilize this quartet of linebackers from LVE to Jaylon Smith to Keanu Neal and of course, Micah Parsons, who has probably lined up in more spots than any other linebacker.

— Nick Eatman (7/31)

Go Long

It's been a topic of conversation throughout the year, but it shows up in a big way during practice.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and defensive line coach Aden Durde have prioritized length along their defensive front, and it shows up at practice. Brent Urban checks in at a monstrous 6'7, while rookie nose tackle Quinton Bohanna is a head-turning 6'4, 330 pounds. Carlos Watkins doesn't jump out quite as much from a height perspective, but his arms measure nearly 35 inches long. Watkins, formerly with the Houston Texans, said he hasn't played on such a lengthy front to this point in his career.

"This is the first group that we've got height," he said. "I think that's what DQ and AD want, is to be able to play with some length."

The reasoning seems pretty obvious when watching practice. This defensive line has batted down a hefty number of passes to this point in camp.

— David Helman (7/31)

Return Specialists

CeeDee Lamb is going to continue on in the punt returner role from everything we've seen and heard at practice, though there are some intriguing options getting some work alongside him.

It's a given that Cedrick Wilson is going to work on punt returns, as he has filled that role at various times over the last two years. But Trevon Diggs and Tony Pollard have also worked in that spot, which seems noteworthy.

Pollard noted that it's nice to have a rotation, especially with Amari Cooper's absence increasing Lamb's workload right now.

— David Helman (7/31)

Showing Progress

One of the biggest question marks of this camp is at the linebacker position. Whether or not it's about Jaylon Smith specifically, and if he can return to form that had him in the Pro Bowl in 2019, or just how Dan Quinn is going to use them all, but the linebackers are a big question mark.

So far, we can tell that rookie Micah Parsons is going to line up all over the place. But what about Smith?

Dan Quinn was asked about Smith's progress and the new DC highlighted the area that is standing out.

"One thing that has jumped out to me is I feel like his stride extension has improved," Quinn said of Smith. "I feel every bit of his speed. There has been a couple of plays where he was flying. He is working extremely hard and he is closing. Vroom. You feel that speed. That is one of things that I have seen."

Quinn also said Smith is being used on more blitzes than before.

"I think he is a physical player," Quinn said. "He has always had a run and hit factor to him. That is something I looking forward to seeing come to light for him."

– Nick Eatman (7/31)

"Hard Knocks" Life

More than week into training camp, the Cowboys say the omnipresence of HBO's "Hard Knocks" hasn't been a distraction whatsoever.

"I know the fact that the Cowboys are going to take care of us and get to look at some of these copies before they get produced — I don't think much about it," quarterback Dak Prescott said with a smile.

"When you play in Dallas, the camera's always around. It's part of it when you play for this organization. That comes with it. If you want to be great, you've got to understand the cameras and all those things are going to happen. So it's something that I have embraced. We have fun, and we don't necessarily worry about it. They do their job. We do our job. We're getting along, and they're helping us out, staying out of the way."

— Rob Phillips (7/30)

Pressing Matter

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn plans to call the defense from the press box this season, starting with the Aug. 6 Hall of Fame preseason game against the Steelers in Canton, Ohio.

"I think for me, it's best," Quinn said. "You're out of the emotional part of it. On the sideline is good because you're feeling the connection with the guys, and I definitely miss that. But I would also say that you don't have anybody grabbing you. 'Hey, this just happened!' Or ,'There's a holding play!' 'What's the personnel?' In the press box, you just have to stay in the moment and you see what happens so much more quickly."

Quinn said he began coaching from the press box on the advice of Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, his former boss in Seattle.

"He was the one who recommended that to me because in his time at San Francisco, he had been out there on the field," Quinn said. "They had recommended he go up into the press box as well, and he was right. It was the best spot to call it where you're not getting pulled, you have all of your information out in front of you. I definitely thank him for that."

— Rob Phillips (7/30)

Heavy At Corner?

It's far too early for roster projections, but when has that ever stopped anyone before?

One of the toughest-to-determine position groups on this team is the entire secondary, which is long on bodies but short on proven commodities. The Cowboys have a trio of returning starters in Anthony Brown, Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis. They also have two Top 100 draft picks who are guaranteed to make the team in Kelvin Joseph and Nahshon Wright. Throw in some special teams aces like C.J. Goodwin and Maurice Canady, not to mention the safety trio of Damontae Kazee, Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, and it starts to look awfully crowded.

Considering all of this, it was interesting when Mike McCarthy acknowledged he's been with teams that carried a large number of defensive backs heading into a season.

"I've been involved where the traditional used to be 10 and I've seen it as high as 12," he said. "You can make an argument it could be 13 if you just look at the pure numbers of who plays in the game."

It's too early to say if this team needs that many. Not to mention, it's inevitable that most of the Cowboys' roster cuts will clear waivers, which would allow them to eventually be added to the practice squad. McCarthy wants the next four weeks to decide who lands where.

"We're going to need all those guys," he said. "So, it's healthy. You can't have enough corners."

— David Helman (7/30)

On Target

From the time McCarthy has arrived, the Cowboys' quarterbacks go through an accuracy competition at the start of every practice. A net with three targets hangs from the cross bar of the field goal, and the quarterbacks take turns throwing on the move and attempting to hit each target.

Garrett Gilbert was asked Wednesday what the rules of the competition were, and he said they seemed to be dictated by Dak Prescott.

"I think he makes the rules, so I'm sure they benefit him, too," he said. "It's about moving your feet and then throwing accurate balls."

It seems unclear whether the leaderboard begins at training camp or extends back to the spring, as the four quarterbacks have been playing since the beginning of OTAs. Prescott said he's easily leading the competition if spring ball is included, but he acknowledged Gilbert has an early lead in this first week of training camp – particularly because he has been dealing with a sore shoulder.

"I think that yesterday was when I started feeling the tightness in my shoulder when I wasn't dominating that," he said.

The Cowboys seem optimistic that Prescott won't miss too much practice time while he recovers. He'd better hope so if he plans to retake the lead.

— David Helman (7/30)

No Sean

Entering his fourth season, Leighton Vander Esch has emerged as one of the defense's leaders. But the veteran linebacker says it's still a little strange to start training camp without former captain Sean Lee, who announced his retirement in the spring after a decade with the Cowboys.

"Definitely different," Vander Esch said, "(not) being able to sit next to him in meetings and talk to him even when we get out of meetings and walking to the practice field for walkthroughs or whatever and we're just bouncing stuff off each other. It's definitely different. Because when you

have that 11 years of experience in your room, that's like a whole other coach in there.

"I just talked to him just the other day. He's just enjoying his time. I'm extremely happy for him. I miss him every day."

— Rob Phillips (7/30)

It might have felt like defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and Keanu Neal were a packaged deal this offseason. Bringing in Quinn was surely an asset in signing Neal, who played safety under Quinn for five seasons. But shortly after Neal's signing, Quinn let the fans and the media know that the Cowboys planned to convert him to linebacker. 

On Friday, Quinn updated the media about Neal's positional transition. 

"I'm proud of the work he's put in," Quinn said. "He's very intentional about his improvement and technique. He's off to an excellent start at linebacker." 

Quinn then went on to say that the position actually shouldn't be all that new to Neal, although he might not have been aware that he was already familiar with his "new" role.

"He's played a number of the positions when he was in Atlanta," Quinn explained. "We just tricked him and didn't call him a linebacker. We said 'You're a safety.' I never told him he was a linebacker, but he was a linebacker on 70 percent of the snaps." 

Obviously, the coaching staff feels his impact can be felt more substantially closer to the line of scrimmage, and to Neal's credit, he was completely on board with the decision. 

"He's just not playing the deep half of the field, which he did some [in Atlanta], but he played down in the box quite a bit so it's not so far [different] for him," Quinn said.

— Jonny Auping (7/30)

No Pressure
With the Cowboys declining to pick up his fifth-year option, it's been well-established that Leighton Vander Esch's future is in flux. Vander Esch said he's not sweating it, offering up some refreshing perspective in the process.

"I'm still getting paid to play freaking pro football. So I've got no complaints," he said.

The Cowboys' linebacker shuffle is arguably the most intense position battle at camp. Vander Esch and Keanu Neal are both in a contract season, while Jaylon Smith takes more criticism from fans and media than any member of the team. Regardless, Vander Esch said it shouldn't be a challenge for anyone to find motivation at the NFL level.

"You've got to prove yourself every year, prove yourself every snap otherwise it's going to be the last one," he said. "That's the mindset you've got to have because if you don't have that and you're not out there trying to do your best for your teammates and hold yourself to those standards of doing your job every single play and doing it as close to perfect as you can, then why are you even out there?"

— David Helman (7/29)

Keeping Up

Starting in the spring and continuing into the summer, Nahshon Wright continues to be one of the more intriguing young prospects on this team.

Wright hasn't been perfect by any stretch, but his ridiculous length help him stand out, particularly when he can use it to help him get his hand on the football. The Oregon State product seems to be acclimating well, but he did acknowledge that it's been an adjustment getting used to NFL speed – particularly when he has the chance to go against Dak Prescott and the starting offense.

"The only way you get used to it is repping it, especially when you're out there with Dak," he said. "He's in command, he's pushing the pace. So you're definitely learning and trying to keep up."

— David Helman (7/29)

Zeke Impressed With Defense

The offense had its moments in team drills Thursday, even without quarterback Dak Prescott (shoulder strain). But the defense's impressive start to training camp has caught Ezekiel Elliott's attention.

"They seem refreshed. They seem ready," the veteran running back said. "They're super confident. They seem like they're having a lot of fun. They're playing off of each other, and they've got a lot of energy. I'm excited to see them get after some other offenses this year."

— Rob Phillips (7/29)

Buckeyes Reunion

Who better to ask about new Cowboys safety Malik Hooker than his college roommate?

Wide receiver Noah Brown and Hooker are close friends going back to their Ohio State days.

"He's a playmaker," Brown said. "He can cover the whole field. He's not scared to come down and hit either. I expect him to make a lot of big plays."

Said Ezekiel Elliott, who also played with Hooker at Ohio State: "I think that he brings a lot of things to the table. He's long. He has a lot of range. He can run sideline to sideline, so I think it's a good addition to the defense that we have."

— Rob Phillips (7/29)

On Thursday, Mike McCarthy admitted that the coaching staff has to "be cognizant of the long road" when it comes to Ezekiel Elliott's snap count, carries and long-term health. That mentality applies to training camp and extends all the way into the early season, hopefully with a late season reward.

McCarthy noted the "volume" that Elliott has shouldered in his first five years in the league, and that the coaching staff will have to show some discipline by trusting some of the younger players early in the season.

"We've got Tony Pollard, and Rico [Dowdle] has looked good," McCarthy said. "We've got some younger guys who can play and produce, so it's not necessary for Zeke to run the ball 25-30 times a game. When you get to December, January football, you want him to be in top form to be able to run the ball 25-30 times if needed."

While on the topic of the running game, McCarthy said that the role of a fullback and a two-back offense is returning to the league and that they need to make sure the defense practices against it in preparation.

"Your two-back schemes the last couple years have increased [in the NFL]," McCarthy said. "You'll see it the next couple practices. We're going to see it [on defense] more than we have. Dan [Quinn] needs to see the two-back stuff."

He also implied that the offense will run two-back schemes more as well this season.

"We need to do a little more of it. We need to line up and run the ball when we want to run the ball no matter what [the defense] is in, too. We need to have some more of that. We don't want to be where we're checking it all the time and just playing exclusively a one-back offense."

— Jonny Auping (7/29)

O-Line Has "A Lot To Prove"

For the first time since last year's training camp, the Cowboys' offensive line is at full strength with three long-time starters (Tyron Smith, La'el Collins and Zack Martin) back from 2020 injuries, but Martin says the decorated group has "a lot to prove." "I think we have the guys and the capability of getting back there, but just because we were good a few years ago doesn't mean we're going to be really good again," he said. "So it's up to us to come out here and put the work in. But it's been encouraging these first few days and I'm really excited to see this group go out there and see what we can do together."

– Rob Phillips (7/28)

Gilbert Embracing First-Team Reps

Garrett Gilbert received more snaps than any other point this offseason after losing Dak Prescott midway through Wednesday's practice in Oxnard. He handled all the first team reps for Prescott who left due to a muscle strain in his right shoulder.

"It's part of being a backup quarterback," Gilbert said. "You have to be ready to step in at any point. That's all it was today."

Gilbert had a hefty adjustment period as well as Ben DiNucci and Cooper Rush, but was easily the most comfortable of the trio when thrown into repetitions with the first team. Outside of a late-practice interception thrown to Anthony Brown, Gilbert looked in command of the offense and was able to lead notable drives down the field without receivers like Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper.
"Obviously last year I got thrust in there a little bit, so I'm comfortable with a lot of those guys," Gilbert said. "The game moves a little bit faster with those guys, especially on the defensive side of the football. You've got to be sharp mentally."

– Kyle Youmans (7/28)

McCarthy's Ideal Rush Total?One of the more interesting parts of Mike McCarthy's Wednesday press conference came when he was asked about the balance between running and passing. Given his history coaching quarterbacks and calling plays, McCarthy acknowledged that it's more fun to throw the ball, but improving in the run game – offensively and defensively – seems to be a focus at this camp.

"If you want to draw up a perfect number, you'd like to be north of 30 rushes per game," he said. Obviously, a team with so many options in the passing game is still going to throw the ball, but it seems like McCarthy wants to get away from the lopsided passing totals from the beginning of last season.

"You've got to run the football when you need to run the football and everybody in the stadium knows you're going to run the football," he said. "That's something that is a focus for us, not only in situational football but in normal down and distance."

– David Helman (7/28)

Hooker Dubs Himself "A Game Changer"

Safety Malik Hooker, signed to the roster on Tuesday, has not yet taken part in practice. The Cowboys plan to be cautious and ease Hooker back into football activities because he missed almost all of last season with a torn Achilles' tendon.

"Physically right now I feel great. No setbacks as far as where I'm at in the process of recovery," he said. "Now it's just taking my time and working back into playing football again because I've been off going on a year now."

What can Hooker bring to the secondary once he's back on the field? "Athletic ballhawk," he said. "That's what I've been since I came out (of college). … I feel like I'm a game changer, and vocally I'm a leader."

– Rob Phillips (7/28)