Training camp is barely underway, but Brian Schottenheimer already had four Cowboys who jumped off the field in the first practice.
After Thursday’s session, the Dallas head coach pointed to quarterback Joe Milton, running back Jaydon Blue, edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, and safety Jalen Thompson as the players who stood out most, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. Schottenheimer didn’t get into the specifics, but the message was clear: those four made a strong early impression on the coaching staff.
“Some Cowboys who stood out in the first training camp practice, according to Brian Schottenheimer: Joe Milton, Jaydon Blue, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Jalen Thompson,” Machota reported.
Milton is battling Sam Howell for the backup quarterback job behind Dak Prescott. The former sixth-round pick joined the Cowboys last season and appeared in four games for the team.
Blue is heading into his second year and looking for a bigger slice of the backfield work. His rookie season was quiet, with Javonte Williams taking over as a steady presence in the run game, but Blue still brings the kind of burst that could make him a useful change-of-pace option in Dallas.
Ezeiruaku, meanwhile, is another young piece coming off his rookie year, and he was the more productive of the two first-year players mentioned here. A former second-round pick, he’s projected to start at outside linebacker and spend most of his time pressuring quarterbacks off the edge. Dallas is counting on that development as part of its push to improve the defense for the 2026-27 season.
Thompson is the veteran in the group. He’s entering his eighth NFL season after spending his first seven with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was a regular starter for most of his career. Dallas signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal with $22 million guaranteed this offseason, and he’s expected to keep that starting role with his new team.
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