The Dallas Cowboys returned to River Ridge Fields in Oxnard, California on July 20th & 21st to begin prep for another season. Here are the major headlines from Week One:
Contract Talks
Coming into camp, arguably the biggest question mark on a team with more than a few was the contract situation revolving around superstar defender Micah Parsons.
Jerry Jones would find the first camera he could & launch into a mini rant about the possibility of extending the pass rusher.
“Just because we sign em’ doesn’t mean we’re gonna have him. He was hurt six games last year. Seriously. (fact check: Micah only missed 4 games last season) I remember signing a player for the highest paid at the position in the league & he got knocked out 2/3s of the year, Dak Prescott. So, there’s a lot of things you could think about, just as the player does, when you’re thinking about committing & guaranteeing money”.
Well, Sunday came & would bring about the committing & guaranteeing of some money for one of the bright spots in Dallas.
hint hint: It wasn’t Micah.
On Sunday, the Cowboys would agree to a 4-Yr, $52 million deal, making him the highest paid tight end in the history of the franchise.
“Jake represents everything we want in terms of football character, what he brings to the table there, along with his talent,” Stephen Jones said. “No question he had a little off year with the big concussion he had, but what he’s done overall here is just what we look for in a Dallas Cowboy.”
A contract earned for a player who has been a former Pro-Bowler with his best years ahead of him.
With it being weeks before the season begins, Micah’s deal would HAVE to be up next right?
Only time will tell.
Early Camp Standouts
George Pickens
Back in May, the Cowboys made a move for a number two wide receiver, acquiring the talented George Pickens in a trade with the Steelers. Optimism & excitement has only grown each day since, & Pickens’ start to camp hasn’t done anything to quell those feelings.
Pickens has drawn praise early for consistently getting open while fitting seamlessly alongside CeeDee Lamb & the rest of the receiving corps.
Donovan Ezeiruaku
The 6’2, 248lb pass rusher out of Boston College was projected to become a “good starter” within the first two years of his career according to his NFL.com draft profile.
If his first week of training camp is any indication, it may be much sooner.
Ezeiruaku has been the talk of Cowboys Camp so far, frequently displaying a supernatural first step & an ability to setup his pass rush moves some have described as “beyond his years”. There are a few second-round picks with potential along the defensive line, & if his debut week of camp is any indication, Ezeiruaku may be on his way to not only being the best among them but also starting on Sundays opposite Micah Parsons.
Kaiir Elam
The Riviera Beach, Florida native was selected 23rd overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft. After a few seasons spent in New York attempting to adjust to the pros that culminated in a rough AFC Championship game performance, he was traded to Dallas back on March 12th of 2025.
Now armed with a fresh start & the Star on his helmet, Kaiir Elam hasn’t disappointed.
With injuries already keeping Trevon Diggs, Josh Butler & Shavon Revel Jr on the sidelines, & Daron Bland missing time while becoming a father (Congratulations brother), Caelon Carson hyperextended his knee Sunday, further driving home the need for stability at corner during the preseason.
Elam has performed consistently in coverage since OTAs & recorded two interceptions while being sticky in coverage Week One of camp.
Expect him to continue making the most of his opportunities as the regular season nears.
Positional Battles
CB2/Nickel
With Trevon Diggs slowly ramping up during his comeback & Daron Bland on personal leave, the competition for snaps has been heating up. Kaiir Elam & Andrew Booth have both shown flashes, with Elam continuing his strong play since OTAs with two interceptions & Booth showcasing physicality at the catch point. These two look like they’ll push for playing time in the nickel when both starters are healthy for Dallas.
WR3
CeeDee Lamb is a Top 5 receiver today in the game of football. George Pickens is a WR1 who is coming over to show he can handle those duties & to erase any doubts teams will try to find in order to not pay him accordingly.
Pencil these two in as the top 2 dogs at receiver.
After them though? A battle ensues.
Jalen Tolbert had seniority coming into camp, but that doesn’t always count for much in football. It doesn’t guarantee you a spot or a shot. So far, he has been running crisp routes & showing consistent hands on passes thrown his way but hasn’t necessarily made any splash plays.
Meanwhile, Jalen Brooks, the Cowboys’ 6’2, 205lb 7th round pick in 2023, has been one of the early risers in camp. Brooks has shown strong hands in traffic, been solid when blocking & has flashed physical yards after catch ability. Team drills have yielded a couple of contested catches & rapport with Dak has been building in red zone sets. Keep an eye out for Brooks if this trend continues.
All-Pro return man KaVontae Turpin has been flashing here & there so far.
The team has used him as a gadget player sparingly last season, with Turpin lining up in the backfield on 16 snaps, in the slot for 231 snaps & out wide for 67. Indications in this first week are that his usage will be up this season. A two-time Pro Bowler who only turns 29 this season, it’s looking like it may finally be “Turpin Time” on offense.
Running Back
Javonte Williams entered camp as the projected RB1 by many, but hasn’t quite shut the door on any speculation otherwise.
Williams, who suffered a torn ACL, LCL & PLC in 2022 while playing for the Denver Broncos, has looked solid in short-yardage situations & pass protection as coaches ease him into more work due to those past injuries.
Miles Sanders has been making a strong case for a featured role, routinely making clean cuts, showing consistent hands in pass catching & excelling in pass protection reps.
The former Pro-Bowl back’s stint in Carolina wasn’t the best, as Chuba Hubbard ascended to the top of the depth chart, ultimately receiving a 4-yr, $33.2 million contract from the Panthers after rushing for 1,195 yards & 10 touchdowns. Sanders has looked like the most well rounded back so far, & it appears he’s ready to show that Hubbard’s rise was more about Hubbard’s talent & less about the diminishing of his own.
Rookie Jaydon Blue has flashed legit burst on inside/outside zone runs & rattled off a long run that got the offense hyped. Deemed “lazy” by corners of the media world earlier this offseason, camp reports have been anything but:
Expect Blue to see the field plenty this season, no matter who sees it first.
Defensive End
While Micah continues to show professionalism & commitment to his teammates amid his hold-in by participating in meetings & individual drills, the battle for the starting spot opposite the All-Pro rages on.
Sam Williams, who is returning from an ACL injury that robbed him of last season, has been impressing coaches with his speed & physicality during these early camp sessions. He’s even been temporarily sidelined in one session for being overly aggressive, a sign that, while it may be preseason, his intensity & desire is in midseason form.
I waxed poetic earlier on in this column about the show Donovan Ezeiruaku has been putting on since being drafted. He has all the intangibles of a future star & his stock is only rising.
Dante Fowler Jr has returned to Dallas for his second stint with the team after reaching the NFC championship game with the Commanders in 2024.
Fowler Jr graded out as the 100th ranked edge out of 211 according to PFF, but his impact was felt in the nation’s capital to the tune of 10.5 sacks during the regular season. He steps onto a defense that won’t be led by Dan Quinn for the first time in 3 seasons, hoping to replicate his most recent success under the defensive guru.
Marshawn Kneeland is another second-round pick in the treasure trove the Cowboys have accumulated.
On the first day of practice, he stole the show.
Kneeland played in 11 games while only starting 1 during his inaugural season in the league, coming in as a run stuffing mountain of a man whom excited officials at the Star.
Already showcasing his athleticism & expanding ability to drop into coverage if needed, Kneeland has started camp the right way, & his place on the future depth chart will likely be thankful for it.
