Training camp is about to get a lot more physical for the Dallas Cowboys, and that means the margin for error shrinks fast. Pads are coming on, the hitting ramps up, and while there are rules meant to limit the damage, nobody in football gets a guarantee. According to Jane Slater, everyone is currently good to go - but Dallas still has a few players it would be smart to handle with extra care.
DeMarvion Overshown is the first name that jumps off the page. He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract and is projected to start at MIKE linebacker, with the kind of playmaking upside that can change a defense.
The problem is availability. In his first three seasons with the Cowboys, he’s already dealt with two separate season-ending knee injuries, which makes a cautious approach in camp feel less like a luxury and more like a necessity.
The same goes for DaRon Bland, who has become the most seasoned and proven corner on the roster. Dallas is expected to lean on him heavily in the secondary this season, but his workload has to be watched closely after back-to-back offseasons of foot surgery on the same foot. How he responds in camp, and whether he can stay healthy through the season, will be a major storyline.
Donovan Ezeiruaku is another player worth monitoring. The rookie showed flashes as a pass rusher last season, but he also dealt with a torn labrum that required offseason surgery.
He missed all of the voluntary and mandatory OTA practices, though he is expected to be a full participant in training camp. Since he’s projected to start this year, Dallas will want to make sure he’s fully back before turning him loose.
Then there’s Shavon Revel, who entered the league with first-round talent but slid to the third round after a season-ending knee injury in his final year of college. His rookie season never looked completely right, and he played with a knee brace throughout the year. Still, he moved much more smoothly during OTAs not long ago, and with a chance to compete for a starting role, the Cowboys may want to keep a close eye on him to avoid any setbacks.
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Micah Parsons Update Sets Up The Cowboys Drama Everyone Saw Coming
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For Dallas, the timing is what makes this more than just another injury update. Parsons has long been one of the defining figures in the rivalry conversation, and any chance of seeing him back on the field during the middle of the season will immediately shift attention to the schedule and the matchup dynamics around his return. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cowboys QB Cooper Rush Just Landed A Telling Opportunity
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Rush arrives with a chance to show he still belongs in the league after a rough stretch in Baltimore, where the fit never really took hold. The Falcons are not handing him anything beyond a look, and what happens next will come down to whether he can make enough of the reps he gets to stay in the conversation when roster decisions start to tighten. [Read more 🡒]