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Ten Cowboys who have stood out through the first 6 training camp practices

OXNARD, California — The Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback depth chart is exactly the same as it was when training camp opened after six practices. The clear choice for the team’s quarterback is Dak Prescott, with Cooper Rush serving as his backup and Trey Lance as the third best player.

California’s Oxnard After six practices, the Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback depth chart remains precisely the same as it did at the start of training camp. Dak Prescott is the team’s obvious pick for quarterback, with Cooper Rush as his backup and Trey Lance ranking third among players.

Nobody should believe that Prescott will be pushed for the starting position by the first-round selection in 2021. It is unlikely that Lance will press Rush for the backup position during training camp drills. He will need to perform well in Dallas’ three preseason games, when he should see a lot of playing time. Prescott probably will not play in the preseason at all. Rush’s abilities are previously known to the Cowboys. Lance might therefore be able to play in roughly 75% of the preseason games.

This is probably his best throw from Wednesday’s practice:


When Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy observes Lance drill, what does he look for?

“Just really transitioning the fundamental work to the drill,” he said. “That’s a big hurdle for quarterbacks in your young development because he’s learning a new footwork grid. You don’t want your guy over there thinking about his controlled step in the middle of a drill. The ability to take that drill work and get out there and compete and play, especially with his athletic ability.

“That’ll be big for him because he’s very diligent. The guy puts in all the extra work. His understanding of the offense is very high. I’m very impressed with his command of the offense. He just needs reps. He needs to play. He needs as many reps from the pocket because there is a lot of newness here for him.”


Nine additional players have distinguished themselves during the first six training camp workouts.

Tolbert’s improvement from a lackluster rookie season to Year 2 was evident. From Year 2 to Year 3, he seems to be making a similar leap. Tolbert has been Dallas’ second-best wide receiver in camp behind Brandin Cooks while CeeDee Lamb is still pending a contract extension. On numerous occasions, Tolbert and Prescott have demonstrated improvement in their relationship. Last Thursday’s back-shoulder throw was the best illustration. McCarthy expressed his admiration for the play by stating, “You do not make that throw last year.” You most certainly did not succeed two years ago. This season, Tolbert is still the favorite to be Dallas’ third wide receiver.


Since the Cowboys are his tenth NFL team, he is happy to have the same playbook and head coach for a second consecutive season. Regardless matter the group he is working with—first-team reps included—he has appeared at ease with the scheme. Billy-Johnson appears to be a solid contender to reach the 53-man roster as long as his propensity to create plays remains evident.


He is got a strong start. He appears well and has been going smoothly. The depth in the tight end room is excellent. The position group’s obvious leader is Jake Ferguson, although Schoonmaker is beginning to prove that he can be relied upon more in Year 2. And following a lackluster offensive offseason, the Cowboys need it.

The expectations shouldn’t be that Guyton is going to immediately make people forget about Tyron Smith, but his work Tuesday while going against Micah Parsons was impressive. Most just figured that the All-Pro pass rusher would just destroy the rookie, but that was definitely not the case. “I’ve been truly impressed,” Tyler Smith said of Guyton. “It’s not very often that you find a human being who measures how he does, 6-7, 330, and has light feet and can just move and just bully dudes. When he really becomes confident and gets the playbook down and does all that stuff, the sky is truly the limit for him and his development.”


If there was any inkling that Bland’s record-setting coming-out party last year was a fluke or hot streak, his start to training camp is doing a good job of dispelling that. Without Lamb on the field, Bland has locked down whoever he’s lined up across. There have been exceptions, such as Tolbert’s impressive red zone catch on the first day, but it’s taken perfect throws and spectacular catches to beat Bland. His closing speed, in particular, is on a different level than his peers.

Each day in Oxnard, Diggs has gotten closer to returning to the field in a full capacity. He began training camp on the PUP list, working off to the side with trainers. Diggs came off the list Tuesday and was involved in interacting with other cornerbacks, still working out on the side. His leadership and upbeat energy has been part of each practice, from shadowboxing Parsons to yelling at the offense and coaching up defenders.

“I feel like when I’m comfortable (I’ll return to the field),” Diggs said. “I can do everything right now, but better safe than sorry. We don’t win football games right now.”

When it came to playing in a tandem with Bland, Diggs was the most excited.

“Super excited to get on the field with (Bland),” Diggs said. “I’ve been seeing him do it ever since he came here. He’s been doing it since he put on a Cowboys uniform. I’m super happy to be able to play with him and get some ball together. … He’s the best defensive back there is out there, for sure.”

Better than Diggs?

“1A and 1B,” Diggs said with a smile.

The participants in an ESPN ranking, which placed Bland in the category of “also receiving votes” and excluded Diggs from the NFL’s top 10, did not share that opinion.

“I feel like I’m in a league of my own,” Diggs said. “There’s nobody that can do what I do. There’s nobody that can do what Bland does. I feel like we’re in a league of our own. We don’t care about no list. The work will show on the field. You can pull up another DB on that list that did anything that we did? Show me.”

There have only been two padded practices for the Cowboys, and even those have been during the “ramp-up” phase, so it is difficult to have a solid idea of the defensive lineman in his second year. Smith does appear more in character now that he is playing at a more appropriate weight and has improved his agility off the ball, which were his two main weaknesses the previous season. It will be important to keep an eye on how things go with him as camp goes on and possibly throughout the preseason games. Given that Smith was selected in the first round of the 2023 draft, Parsons stated that he must improve.

Micah Parsons, Edge/LB

In order to accommodate his new position in Zimmer’s scheme as an off-ball linebacker in addition to his pass-rushing responsibilities off the edge, the Cowboys’ top defensive player arrived at camp a little lighter. Parsons has been everywhere on the field, meeting receivers in the flat to make tackles and outrunning defenders off the edge to get to the passer. Parsons has a high expectation, and he has performed well in camp.


Wright, who was selected in the fourth round by Dan Quinn’s defense due to his tangibles, is in his fourth season. Although the third-round tag has bought him some time, rookie cornerback Caelen Carson has had a better camp. There has not been much of a breakthrough. Wright has not played poorly, but he has been defeated enough times without turning in clutch plays to warrant concerns.

(Photo of Tyron Billy-Johnson: Jason Parkhurst / USA Today)

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