OXNARD, Calif. – And they go.
The Cowboys hold their first practice of Training Camp 2022 here in Southern California.
Head coach Mike McCarthy holds his first solo news conference of camp.
About half a dozen players were available for their first interviews of camp, and that included a jovial Ezekiel Elliott taking the main stage and Dak Prescott expected to follow on Thursday.
Just remember to take a lot of this over the next few days with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to individual or team performances. This was the first of four scheduled practices for helmets, jerseys and shorts, according to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. Contact is minimal during this augmentation period, trying to avoid unnecessary soft tissue injury early on._
And while coaches routinely grind players out during training camp, McCarthy and all 31 other NFL head coaches are only allowed 11 hours a day of player time, the clock ticking down from the first meeting or mandatory lifting or activity in the field. until the last mandatory team event. That is all.
“We have to maximize it,” McCarthy said of what they can accomplish in those 11 hours. “You have to understand that this is going fast.”
But hey, the thermostat is conducive to all the work you can do here. At 6:30 this morning it was 58 degrees, and when the Cowboys walked onto the practice field for one of those minicamp-type workouts, they were in the mid-60s with a high of 68 today. And that’s with the sun shining most of the day for the first time in three days here.
So we better start shooting some juicy shots in a hurry.
- Welcome view: While it was fairly predictable that the Cowboys would put WR Michael Gallup at PUP and rookie LB Damone Clark at NFI before this first practice, LB Jabril Cox’s status wasn’t so certain as last year’s fourth-round pick passed. all off season. rehabbing after knee surgery to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament. Well, there was the No. 14 in blue on the field again, not only resuming practice, but hanging out with the second-team defense at linebacker along with Luke Gifford. The Cowboys aren’t deep at linebacker after starters Micah Parsons and Leighton Vander Esch, so they really need Cox to get strong at outside linebacker and possibly catch a few plays in a two-lineback nickel defense, along with becoming a main participant of special teams. .
- Look there: This had to be another welcome sight for the Cowboys coaching staff, and probably for you too. When the first-team offense took the field, Dak Prescott’s three receivers were CeeDee Lamb, James Washington and Jalen Tolbert. Remember, Washington signed in free agency for veteran depth at the troublesome receiver job, but missed all offseason workouts and minicamps because of a sore ankle tendon. Lamb and Tolbert also missed some of those workouts. But knowing that the presumed No. 2 receiver Gallup will likely miss the first month of the season, seeing those three guys on the field at the same time eases some of the wide receiver’s growing fears after trading Amari Cooper and not being able to return to sign. free agent Cedrick Wilson. Noah Brown, Simi Fehoko and Dennis Houston were out with the second team.
- Jerry said: Speaking about this year’s team, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said at the opening news conference that he is optimistic despite the loss of several prominent veterans from last year’s team, namely Cooper, Randy Gregory and La’el Collins. He would say: “I thought last year we had a chance to do a great race and we had people around the place that, if we were healthy enough, we could get them. And I think we are in better shape.” “I mean this year. Part of me thinks Jones was also referring to the fact that the Cowboys have about $20 million in salary-cap space. That if they need to fill an emergency void at any position, actually, for a change , they have money in the pot to sign a veteran free agent who is still available.
- Run DC: The Cowboys could have finished ninth in rushing last year, and Zeke topped the 1,000-yard mark in the final game of the 17-game season (1,002). So when McCarthy was asked if he was satisfied with last year’s run-per-pass ratio, he went into a lengthy explanation of how many factors can determine that from game to game. But his biggest comment on the running game was this: “You have to run the ball when you have to run the ball … you have to have a phone booth run game when you run it no matter what.” I mean, in the middle between tackles when the defense knows you’re going to run straight at them.
- First impressions: When talking about Elliott, McCarthy says, “He’s all football,” and then goes on to say, “When you think of Zeke, you think of his running style. That was always my first impression. I remember the first time I saw him, 2016, I was on the other sideline. He came running down the sideline, ‘Oh my God, look at the size of that guy’s head.’ He’s just a different runner. He can run really fast. He’s a powerful runner.” Looks like the head coach is glad it’s his. There is no mention of a further snapshot exchange with Tony Pollard.
- On guard: I thought it was interesting that while Connor McGovern again went out with the first-team offense at left guard like he did during OTAs and minicamp and first-round pick Tyler Smith working with the second team, there were times when Smith received plays at left guard with the first team. This one is worth watching the competition.
- End or address: I might have to start calling these guys just defensive linemen. During those offseason workouts, last year’s third-round draft pick Chauncey Golston was seen working more as a defensive tackle than the defensive end he had been in 2021. He was written off as just trying to be versatile. Well, that versatility might be more than that, as almost all of Golston’s plays on Wednesday came inside at defensive tackle with the 3 technique. After all, Golston is 6-5, 277, a nice 280 dinner. And there were also plays with left defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence running inside during the offense’s two-minute drill. Wow, even second-round defensive end Sam Williams was seen inside as a tackle in pass rush situations, and so was he, 6-4, 261.
The last word today goes to rookie Williams as he explains how he worked on some technical stuff after the Cowboys’ final session of minicamp. And when asked where he did all this work, Williams, who played in college at Ole Miss and grew up in Alabama, had this to say about his first experience in Texas.
“I’ve been around here. I’ve been in Texas the whole time. I don’t know anyone in Texas, so when I say I was bored, I need new friends. Whoever’s listening, if you need new friends, let me know.
“Because let me tell you, I was bored. I went home and then I have my son. We went to this place called Lifetime (health club). It’s a new place in Frisco where they can take care of my son while I work.” go out and do my thing. It was quite a fun experience. I’m trying to learn Texas and stuff, but he’s so hot, man, so hot.”