The first two days of Cowboys training camp haven’t answered everything, but they’ve already sharpened a few of the biggest questions hanging over the roster.
Dallas was off Friday, giving the team a natural pause point after 48 hours of work. That’s not much time to draw hard conclusions, but there are a few early themes worth watching as camp heads into the weekend.
The clearest one might be on defense, where Brian Schottenheimer sounds convinced DeMarvion Overshown can handle the green dot. Schottenheimer said the Cowboys went through a situation where the headset communication between Christian Parker and Overshown failed, and Overshown still made the right call. The head coach said the young linebacker got the team lined up correctly.
That matters because the linebacker group remains a major question mark. The bigger issue is not just who plays there, but who can actually run the defense and deliver the calls on the field. Schottenheimer said there are roughly three or four players who will take turns handling the mic duties as camp goes on.
Dallas still has the option of adding help at linebacker, whether that comes through a trade or a free agent signing. Nothing appears off the table yet.
The receiver room, meanwhile, may be getting crowded in a different way. After what CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy have shown over the first two days, it raises the possibility that the Cowboys could carry only four wideouts on the initial 53-man roster.
That would not be a small decision. Dallas may want to keep extra bodies at spots that feel less settled, including defensive line and linebacker. With Lamb, Pickens and Flournoy already making noise, KaVontae Turpin could be enough as the gadget-style fourth option.
That leaves Jonathan Mingo, Anthony Smith, Traeshon Holden and the rest of the group with work to do. If the Cowboys decide to keep a fifth receiver, that player is likely going to have to stand out enough to beat out a defensive option.
If there’s one side that has looked ahead after two days, it’s the offense. Dak Prescott has reportedly had plenty of time in the pocket and hasn’t faced much pressure.
That can be read two ways. The optimistic version says the Cowboys offense is living up to the “Greatest Offense There Is” hype and the offensive line is ready for a jump.
The less rosy view says the pass rush needs help, and fast.
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