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The Good & Not So Good From Final Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Practice in Oxnard

Here's a look at some positives and negatives from the Cowboys final practice in Oxnard.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks at training camp opening ceremonies at River Ridge Playing Fields.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones speaks at training camp opening ceremonies at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We're inching closer to the regular season as the Dallas Cowboys just passed on of their big offseason milestones. Thursday was the team's final practice in Oxnard, which has been their training camp home for the past month.

The Cowboys will visit the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday for a Preseason Week 2 showdown, then will return to Texas where they will practice at their hometown facility at The Star in Frisco.

Before turning our focus to what's ahead, let's check out what happened on Thursday with a look at what was good during their final practice in California, as well as what wasn't so good.

Good: Tyler Guyton is impressing

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton prepares to enter the field prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers.
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Guyton prepares to enter the field prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tyler Guyton entered the offseason as a question mark for the Cowboys but has been far more impressive than anticipated. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer praised him for his work during camp and he followed with another strong performance, even being singled-out by Patrik Walker for his work during camp.

Dallas has an excellent interior line but they need Guyton to reach his potential for the offense to truly explode this season. There’s no guarantee that will happen, but his work during training camp is rather promising.

Not so good: Scuffle between stars

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields.
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On the same day the Cowboys and Saints were hit with a fine for $500,000 for multiple fights during joint practice, Dallas had another brief scuffle. This time, it was Jake Ferguson and DeMarvion Overshown getting into it briefly after Ferguson threw the ball at Overshown. Not an ideal thing to see just minutes after a massive fine was announced.

Good: Von Miller in action

Earlier this week, the Cowboys signed Von Miller, giving them an experienced rusher on the edge. Thursday was his first time in pads and he turned heads quickly in individual drills.

When team drills began, Miller continued to shine. He generated pressure on his first snap, leading to a pass being batted down by Caleb Downs.

As a side note, Miller was sporting the No. 40. That number officially belongs to Hunter Luepke, but Miller is trying some unique negotiation tactics in an effort to get the number for himself.

Not so good: James Houston leaves early

Dallas Cowboys linebacker James Houston at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker James Houston at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Training camp injuries are going to happen, but that doesn't mean we have to like them. On Thursday, the Cowboys were already without Jonathan Bullard and Michael Trigg. Jaydon Blue and Zion Childress were on the field, but were limited.

During Thursday's practice, another player joined the ranks as James Houston had to leave early with reporters saying he was seen heading toward the locker room after stopping at the injury tent.

Not so Good: DT depth takes a hit

Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Toia at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields.
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Toia at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not long after Houston was lost, nose tackle Jay Toia had to exit with an apparent elbow injury. That’s concerning since Dallas doesn’t have a deep bench at defensive tackle.

Good: Cowboys show love to the City of Oxnard

Oxnard mayor Luis McArthur speaks at training camp opening ceremonies at River Ridge Playing Fields.
Oxnard mayor Luis McArthur speaks at training camp opening ceremonies at River Ridge Playing Fields. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It takes a lot of people to make training camp work, including many volunteers from the City of Oxnard. According to Nick Harris, 80 volunteers helped this year and the Cowboys showed them some love afterward. Following camp on Thursday, players signed gifts for those who gave up their time to help the team put on their 2026 training camp.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.