Cowboys Camp Moves To Padded Practice

OXNARD, Calif. - “The Underwear Olympics.”

“Practice Etiquette.”

“Practice is Practice.”

The Wednesday buzz here in Oxnard is all about the Dallas Cowboys engaging in their first padded practice on this, their eighth day of training camp.

"Yeah, they like to joke around and say the 'Underwear Olympics,' says safety Donovan Wilson. "But (today) we put the pads on and get to fly around and get to make some contact out there."

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy acknowledges the "contact'' part, and looks forward to it. But ...

"I think it's important to go through what I call 'practice etiquette' and the ethics of what go on in a padded practice," he says. "Because at the end of the day the extracurricular activity was kind of cool in the '90s but not cool anymore. It's just a waste of time."

"Not cool'' meaning, for instance, fights and cheap shots. The CBA doesn't like that stuff. And the salary cap doesn't like injuries.

But, McCarthy says, "We're really starting to get into more football situations," he says. "Especially with the pads coming on, I think the hype and importance of the O-line and D-line play definitely shows up when you do put those pads on."

In other words, to some degree, the workouts so far have been "against air.'' This will be a different level of intensity and a different level of physicality. Eyeballs will be on QB Dak Prescott as he crosses another post-ankle-surgery milestone. And we will watch for the participation level of newcomer safety Malik Hooker as well.

"It's going to be good," says All-Pro guard Zack Martin. "Coach (McCarthy) has done a nice job getting our legs underneath us with these four days. We are moving pretty good out there. It will be more physical ... But practice is practice."

Yeah, but "padded practice'' is really practice.

That could come with a learning curve. The Cowboys have a big rookie class, not to mention plenty of young players who have limited training camp experience – especially after last year's bizarre edition of camp. McCarthy said Tuesday he plans to make it clear what's expected to make it through a productive practice.

It's on the Cowboys to use their time productively. Either way, it's a meaningful step forward on this path through the preseason.