The Good & Not So Good from Day 2 of Cowboys Camp: DaRon Bland Looks Healthy

Here are a few things that stood out during the Dallas Cowboys' practice on Thursday.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The second day of training camp practice is in the books for the Dallas Cowboys.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer is focused on putting a 7-9-1 record in the rearview, while new defensive coordinator Christian Parker is working to fix a defense that was dreadful in 2025.

Not a lot can be learned from these early practices, but it’s still fun to soak it all in. That being the case, here’s a look at a few things that stood out as good, and not so good, during Thursday’s session.

The Good

CeeDee Lamb got to work early

Dallas Cowboys WR Ceedee Lamb goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CeeDee Lamb dropped a pass on Wednesday but wasn’t going to let that happen again on Thursday. Four hours before practice even began, Lamb was working on the jug machine, catching passes. That’s the type of dedication teams want to see from their star players, and it helped Lamb have a much better day on Thursday.

DeMarvion Overshown working on the green-dot role

While this didn’t take place on Thursday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer shared a story before practice that painted DeMarvion Overshown in an excellent light. Defensive coordinator Christian Parker wanted to see how Overshown would respond under pressure, so he pretended that there was a communication breakdown.

Overshown didn’t panic, and still managed to get the team in the right play. For a team that struggled with communication throughout the 2025 season, this was a huge plus.

Jaydon Blue hype train continues

Dallas Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue goes trough a drill during practice at the Ford Center | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jaydon Blue was a standout during the team’s first practice and that was the case again on Thursday. Blue was seen breaking through the line, setting up a huge run.

Jaydon Blue breaking out into the open for the second day in a row pic.twitter.com/vsJv4CXmqi

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 30, 2026

Dallas needs to see more from Blue during his second season in the league, and throughout the first two practices, he’s trending in the right direction.

DaRon Bland is healthy and making plays

DaRon Bland is the biggest name in the secondary for Dallas, but he’s not coming off of a great season. Bland has been dealing with foot injuries for the past two years, but on Thursday, he looked healthy. His best play of the day came when he broke up a pass from Dak Prescott, which was intended for Brevyn Spann-Ford.

Great feel from DaRon Bland here for the PBU pic.twitter.com/3FA8Ry3ypT

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 30, 2026

The Not So Good

Shavon Revel can’t crack starting lineup

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. celebrates after a play during the first half against the Minnesota Vikings. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout the offseason, we heard that Shavon Revel Jr. was ready to challenge for a starting spot. While it’s still early, it’s somewhat surprising to see Bland and Cobie Durant holding down those spots without Revel getting a look.

The good news is that Revel has played well when he’s on the field, but it would be a confidence booster for him if he could get some first-team reps.

P.J. Locke still out

The Cowboys haven’t had too many injury concerns early on, but P.J. Locke was sidelined on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was held out with a hyperextended knee, and Schottenheimer says he will miss several days.

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