The first two weeks of Cowboys training camp have already started to sort out who’s moving up and who’s slipping behind.
Dallas finished its eighth practice on Sunday, and with Christian Parker overhauling the defense, there’s been plenty to track. The offense is a little steadier on paper since all 11 starters from last year are back, but Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams still have work to do on the details. Through it all, a few players have clearly separated themselves.
One of the biggest risers has been Marist Liufau. The former third-round pick from Notre Dame spent his first two seasons at linebacker, but this offseason he shifted to EDGE in Parker’s scheme.
With the depth chart crowded, he looked like a real cut candidate. Instead, Liufau has pushed hard for a roster spot and especially popped on Sunday.
He’s rolling into the final stretch with momentum, and that could help him grab the fifth - and maybe final - spot at the position.
T.J. Bass has also made a strong case for himself.
With Brock Hoffman gone in free agency, the Cowboys needed a new backup center, and Bass has taken that job while also serving as the top reserve at both guard spots. His work has been good enough that Dallas even tried him with the starters, checking out how he’d look at left guard if Tyler Smith were moved to left tackle.
Bass probably won’t open the season as a starter, but this has been a standout camp for the former Oregon undrafted free agent.
At quarterback, Sam Howell has separated from Joe Milton III in the battle for QB2 behind Dak Prescott. Dallas brought Howell in to compete, and after two weeks he appears to have the edge. He may not have Milton’s athletic traits, but Howell has been quick with his processing and keeps making the right reads, the kind of traits teams want from a backup.
That leaves Milton in a tougher spot. He spent all of the 2025 season backing up Prescott, but now he’s in danger of missing the roster altogether. He did have a solid day on Sunday, which helps, but Howell has been the more consistent quarterback overall.
On the other side of the ledger, Jonathan Mingo hasn’t done enough to change the picture. He entered camp on the chopping block, and that hasn’t really moved.
Mingo has had a few good moments, but a bad drop on Saturday didn’t help, and he still hasn’t locked down the WR5 job. His trade-deadline arrival in 2024 has not gone the way Dallas hoped, and his time with the team looks to be winding down.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling is also losing steam. He drew praise during minicamp for how he was standing out, but the momentum has faded. Ryan Flournoy and Traeshon Holden have moved ahead of him, and missing Sunday’s practice because of injury only made things worse.
The secondary has its own interesting development with Shavon Revel Jr. The second-year player entered camp as something of a question mark, but he’s looked far more comfortable this summer.
After not settling in during his rookie year and dealing with recovery from a torn ACL, Revel has now shown strong coverage ability and broken up multiple passes in practice. That has made the battle for the CB2 job one to watch.
Dee Winters, meanwhile, may be watching his starting chances fade for reasons that aren’t really on him. Dallas traded for him to fill the spot next to DeMarvion Overshown, and after a breakout year with the San Francisco 49ers, he seemed set for a major role.
But rookie Jaishawn Barham has surged, and that has changed the picture. Winters has been pushed into a tougher position even though this isn’t about his own play.
Barham has been the camp headliner, even with a recent injury keeping him out of practice. The third-round pick from Michigan has not only moved ahead of Winters for the job opposite Overshown, he also looks ready to contribute right away. Dallas added several possible difference-makers on defense in the draft, but Barham already has the feel of the player people may point to years from now as the class’s biggest steal.
In Other News...
Cowboys Camp Battle Behind Dak Suddenly Feels More Important
Training camp has given Dallas a clearer look at the quarterback depth chart behind Dak Prescott, and Sam Howell has been the one making the strongest early impression. The recent addition has drawn attention for his mobility and ability to throw, while Joe Milton, who opened with the edge as the incumbent backup, has had a more uneven run as the Cowboys sort through the spot.
The competition is still live, which is part of what makes it worth watching in camp. Dallas brought Howell in on a one-year deal in March, and the Cowboys are seeing whether his fit and steadiness can keep him in front as the backups keep working through the summer. For a team that knows how quickly quarterback depth can matter, this is one of the more meaningful battles on the field right now. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Jones Signals Cowboys Move Fans Have Been Waiting For
With training camp rolling on and the regular season opener against the Giants getting closer, the Cowboys are still shopping for ways to sharpen a roster that needs more help on defense. Stephen Jones made clear the front office is staying active, keeping its eye on both trade possibilities and veteran free agents as Dallas looks to address the areas that gave it trouble last season.
The biggest focus remains on the pass rush, where the Cowboys want more impact off the edge. Dallas has not treated camp as a reason to stand pat, and Jones comments suggest the team is still weighing different paths to upgrade before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Camp Battles Are Suddenly Getting Harder To Ignore
The Cowboys have moved through eight training camp practices and are heading into a stretch that should start clarifying some of the roster questions that have been building in Oxnard. Joint work with the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints is next, followed by a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, and a handful of players have already helped themselves with steady showings, including Marist Liufau, Malachi Lawrence and Joe Milton.
One of the more interesting spots to watch is at cornerback, where the workload and the reps are starting to separate players in a meaningful way behind DaRon Bland. At the same time, the receiver competition is getting tighter too, especially with Marquez Valdes-Scantling sidelined by injury and unable to get on the field for a practice session while he tries to hold onto a roster spot. [Read more 🡒]