Dak and Cowboys Chasing a Super Bowl | Albert Breer's Top 5 Cowboys Camp Takeaways

Stop 4 of my training camp trip here in Oxnard , California.

We got 5 takeaways from Cowboys camp.

Takeaway number 1, expectations internally for the Cowboys are sky high, and the difference this year.

Is how vocal they've been about it.

You heard Jerry Jones talking at his camp opening press conference a couple of days ago about being willing to go and take a big swing to add another player to the group that he already has.

Dak Prescott wore the Super Bowl shirt on his way into camp.

The messaging here is very clear.

They think they're really, really good, and the difference within that.

Is the makeup of the team.

Brian Schottenheimer said, uh, last year when he got the job that he wanted to build the best culture in all of sports, and the personnel moves of the last 12 months have really reflected that.

They're bringing in team captains.

Um, like Jalen Thompson from the Cardinals, Quinnin Williams from the Jets, Kenny Clarke from the Packers, they get one of the highest character players in the entire draft in Caleb Downs in the first round.

So with that group of players, they believe they've got a group that can handle having these expectations put on their shoulders.

We'll see how that works out.

Take away number 2, the skill talent here is really, really good, and of course that starts with CD Lamb.

And George Pickens.

But what the Cowboys are really optimistic about is the idea that they've got a second layer of players underneath those guys that could be really effective complementary weapons.

That starts with tight end Jake Ferguson, but he's not the only one who could give Dak Prescott a security blanket over the middle.

Ryan Flanoy has.

Consistently ascended over the course of the last couple of years.

He's now going into his 3rd year.

He's impressive from a work ethic standpoint.

He's impressive, um, in the with the detail and his route running.

Dak really trusts him.

So Flanoy and Ferguson are nice complimentary pieces, as could be 2nd year back Jaden Blue.

Had a solid offseason, has been explosive early in camp.

They believe that he could be a difference maker underneath in the passing game, working in space as defenses gear up to stop both Pickens and Lamb.

Uh, Takeaway number 3, if there's a question on offense, there is no question that it's at left tackle, where former first round pick Tyler Geiton is going to try to hold off Nate Thomas.

My belief is that if there's a swing factor for the team in general, and the offense, of course, in particular, it is how that battle goes and what the Cowboys are fielding at left tackle.

I think it could be the difference between the Cowboys being a really good offense and one of the best offenses in the league.

The rest of the line is very, very.

Solid though, and that especially includes Tyler Booker, their first round pick of 2025.

He's already on the leadership council.

It's not that common to see that from a second year player.

Nobody would be surprised if he was a captain, and the expectation is when the pads go on later this week, he's going to emerge as a tone setter for his position group.

Take away number 4, if there's a question on defense, it's on the edge.

They've remade the edge position, of course, over the last couple of years.

Rashaw Garry is the most obvious name to watch, and he's coming over from Green Bay as a bigger, more rugged player than they have had at the position over the last couple of years, with the vision being that he's going to be able.

To push the pocket, to collapse the pocket, to push quarterbacks up into the laps of Quinnin Williams and Kenny Clarke, and Donovan Ezarak, who's coming back off an injury, it's another guy that they really like, and the feeling is they could get some production from a couple of rookies and first round pick Malachi Lawrence, of course, but also Jashaun Barnum, who plays off the ball on early downs, or at least that's where he is right now, and could contribute.

As a pass rusher on 3rd down , finally take away number 5, and this kind of plays into the whole character angle.

The secondary looks tougher and edgier with some new pieces in there.

Thompson and Downs at safety are both versatile.

They're both smart.

They're both tough, so that's given the secondary a different feel, and Kobe Durant is a name to.

Watch coming over from the Rams, they really like what they've seen from him so far.

He's played with a chip on his shoulder.

He's got some of that versatility as well, and that should give the new defensive coordinator here, Christian Parker, plenty to work with as far as moving pieces there on the back end.

Appreciate you guys coming out and checking all of these out.

We'll see you tomorrow from the Rams.