Lastly, the Cowboys can see training camp directly in front of them.
We no longer say that camp will begin in late July, the following month, or even the following week. In just a few days, training camp will begin in Oxnard, California, when the Cowboys head to sunny California on Tuesday.
The pads won’t be worn for a few days after the squad doesn’t hit the practice field until Thursday.
But there’s no denying that training camp is almost here. As the Cowboys get closer to the 2024 season opener, these are a few of the brief headlines to keep an eye on.
CeeDee Watch: Dak Prescott is one of the Cowboys’ other players who may be eligible for a new contract. However, both the quarterback and linebacker Micah Parsons are anticipated to be in the lineup on Tuesday. However, CeeDee Lamb, the receiver, will be the center of attention—or won’t there be any? Lamb was fined for missing the required minicamp and all of the optional OTA activities. As he moves into the fifth year of his contract, it is clear that Lamb is waiting for a new one. Like Zack Martin did a year ago, he will be punished every day if he misses camp.
New Defense: Dan Quinn, who is currently the head coach in Washington, left the Cowboys, but his defense wasn’t flawless, particularly in the playoff defeat to the Packers. Is it possible for Mike Zimmer to come back to Dallas and design a plan that will help Micah Parsons even more, in addition to giving the team a fresh appearance? These are some of the unanswered issues surrounding this defense, which not only welcomes back Trevon Diggs but also adds seasoned linebacker Eric Kendricks, who is the most familiar with Zimmer’s scheme.
O-Line battles: Dak Prescott, who was in second place for MVP last year, may face even more pressure this season due to his elevated profile. But he will need to play behind a new left tackle and center in 2024 if he is to improve much more. The Cowboys would much rather have rookies fill both of those positions since Tyler Guyton, a first-round pick, will have every opportunity to replace Tyron Smith at left tackle. Brock Hoffman and Cooper Beebe, a third-round selection, are the best contenders to battle at center.
Zeke’s Back: With Tony Pollard no longer on the field, Ezekiel Elliott is not only back on the roster but also seems to be the front-runner to start at tailback. Zeke and Pollard shared playing time in 2022, but Zeke still managed ten touchdowns on the ground. He didn’t play much for the Patriots last season, but he’s back in Dallas wearing No. 15. Zeke has a new jersey on, but he still needs to show that he can play in the starting lineup against veterans like Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, and a number of other young backs, including Deuce Vaughn.
Year of Leaps? With Kendricks, the Cowboys signed essentially just one important free agent. This means that this squad is largely depending on both the draft class of this year and the previous ones. Giving a few young players the chance they’ve been missing was a part of the team’s summer plan. thus seizes the opportunity? Look at players like Luke Schoonmaker, Jalen Tolbert, Sam Williams, Juanyeh Thomas, Jalen Brooks, Nahshon Wright, Isreael Mukuamu, and Mazi Smith right now. These are young kids who should have plenty of opportunities to receive those crucial reps.
As we prepare for the commencement of camp, they are just a few of the narratives to follow. You could argue for around ten more that will be fascinating for followers and the press to follow.