Cowboys Camp Day 1: Dak Prescott ‘Tip,' Injury Update, Top 10 Takeaways
OXNARD, Calif. - The Dallas Cowboys on their first day of work at training camp here in Oxnard offered up some big news, some bad news and some deja vu. Let's dig into our Top 10 Takeaways ...
ITEM 1 - Yes, Dak Prescott threw an interception. Yes, it was on a tipped ball - the sort of thing the Cowboys QB has vowed will not be the issue it was in the 2022 regular season, as he led the NFL in picks with 15.
Dak's fault? Nope. The blame goes to Simi Fehoko, as the ball popped up after it bounced off his arms.
Positive part of the play: Rookie Eric Scott Jr. made the play. The most negative part? That's on Fehoko. There are only so many days of work, and in the battle for the No. 4 receiver spot, Jalen Tolbert has a good one. And Fehoko offered an ugly flashback.
ITEM 2: Donovan Wilson was carted off the practice field with what we've been told is a calf strain. The team offered a Thursday morning update, backing our report that this might mean a month of rehab and rest.
Israel Mukuamu walked off the field with a hamstring and he will join Wilson with what the team says are "multiple-week'' injuries. Also notable here: KaVonte Turpin was absent due to the birth of a child and Matt Waletzko was apparently out due to an illness.
Rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker (foot) and defensive back Jourdan Lewis (foot) are not yet healthy enough to go.
ITEM 3: Brandin Cooks has done some work with Prescott in the "Dak-Yard,'' but this is of course different-level. How soon do they get in synch? On this day, Cooks was good. But to our eyes, his buddy Stephon Gilmore - both of them acquired this offseason in shrewd Dallas trades - got the better of Cooks out there on "Gilly's Island.''
Said cornerback mate Trevon Diggs: “He’s just very professional. Just how he goes about his work, it’s like rubbed off on me. He’s waking up at 6 o’clock every day. So now I want to wake up at 6 o’clock every day, and go get a workout with him and do all the little stuff like that.''
What other stuff like that? "He eats perfect,'' Diggs continued. "He doesn’t eat foolishness. He has seen me eating gummy snacks and he’ll be like, ‘Why are you eating that?’ Little things like that, him just taking me under his wing and just showing me how to last in the league that long. I’m just taking notes and soaking everything up. And I’m very appreciative for it.”
Diggs is also appreciative of his new five-year, $97 million contract extension, saying a) that it's a weight off his shoulders, b) that "I want to go down as one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game,'' and c) "I feel like money isn’t everything.''
Dollars aren't everything, of course, is an easier thing to say when you have a chance at 97 million of them!
ITEM 4: No Zack Martin yet, as all we have going there is owner Jerry Jones' sly message sent to the All-Pro holdout via his answer to CowboysSI.com's question about "intensifying negotiations.'' Jerry's response about honoring "the integrity of a contract'' speaks volumes.
In Martin's stead, Josh Ball played right guard. And yes, the rest of the offensive line looked exactly like we've predicted it would (and should) be: Tyron Smith at left tackle, Tyler Smith at left guard, Tyler Biadasz at center and Terence Steele at right tackle.
It can be argued that Martin's absence allows for other guys to get reps. We don't, however, want to tell Cowboys Nation it's raining when it's actually urine running down your leg.
There is this positive about that O-line group, though, as we also predicted this one: Steele has handled himself like a seasoned pro since the day he showed up here as a Texas Tech USFA rookie. His rehab leaves him with a gigantic brace on his left knee ... and with praise from all around him.for his diligence in his recovery to be ready for training camp just seven months after his injury.
"If you know Terence and see him every day, nothing surprises you," coach Mike McCarthy said. "He's off the charts professionally.''
And one more from McCarthy on the O-line, this one being one of his go-to's when it comes to contracts. His dad - a cop/fireman/bar owner - was also a bit of a philosopher. The coach was asked about the Martin situation.
“My father always told me, 'You never talk about another man’s money, and most importantly, never talk about your own,” McCarthy said.
ITEM 5: The Cowboys are setting up a competition for who'll get the linebacker snaps next to Leighton Vander Esch. Damone Clark is the leader at the starting gate. Jabril Cox, considered a Dallas steal in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, will get a crack. But it's the rookie DeMarvion Overshown who's drawing the early praise.
"There's a young man who gets it," said McCarthy. "He's made an impression. ... He's one of the first guys (the coaching staff) talks about. ... I look for him to make an impact."
ITEM 6: 'JUST QUINN, BABY! Cowboys defensive players are falling in love all over again with coordinator Dan Quinn.
“DQ’s special," Leighton Vander Esch said. "You’ve got to give him so much credit because the type of coach he is and the way he gets guys to play for him and the respect he has for you. It’s so mutual ... All the other coaches, all the assistant coaches are the exact same way. It gives you the feeling that you can just go out there and play, and play fast and play aggressive and not worry about anything else. That has a huge impact on how we play.”
ITEM 7: The defensive line is deep, so competition should abound. At the same time, Dallas wasted little time here in getting rookie first-round pick Mazi Smith to the head of the class, as he got some first-day first-team work alongside Osa Odighizuwa
ITEM 8: There is no big revelation yet regarding who's who behind Tony Pollard at running back, and that's as it should be. This day was for Pollard himself, as he went through a sort of "car-wash'' interviews with the media after having been a national news figure with his $10.1 million tag contract.
“At this point, it is what it is,'' Pollard said. "I signed the tag, I’m here in camp. I’m just ready to focus on the main thing and just stick to winning.”
The plan is to ease him into work here, but he is 100-percent recovered from his leg injury sustained in the playoff loss at San Francisco, he said. And he's ready to carry a load, in two ways.
One, on the field. “Whatever they throw at me, I can handle it,” he said. “I’m ready to go. Whatever they throw at me I’m gonna make the most of it and we’ll see how that goes. … If they call it, I’m gonna haul it.”
And two, in the area of leadership, where the release of Ezekiel Elliott leaves a natural void. Pollard revealed that he got a pre-practice text from Zeke, wishing luck to his successor.
"Just telling all the running backs,” Pollard said, “that he knows we'll handle business, take care of everything and just good luck.”
ITEM 9: Miscellaneous - CeeDee Lamb had the catch of the day, a one-hander that teases of big things to come ... The Cowboys seemed to do more 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 earlier than usual, maybe a concession to needing to get busy working on making play-calls in the new "Texas Coast Offense.'' ... CowboysSI.com did a one-on-one interview on the sideline at the start of the practice with Troy Aikman, who broke down the new offense and sounds upbeat about it. See that Video Visit here. ... Michael Gallup more time in the slot? Said McCarthy: “I like what I’ve seen from Michael so far.”
ITEM 10: The Final Word - Yes, yes, I appreciate ... driving in and getting my (dorm) room out here ... It feels good to be in there. Now I go out the back door and sleep up here at the Biltmore, but other than that we're in good shape." - Jerry Jones.
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