The Cowboys’ defense is already looking different under Christian Parker, and one of the clearest signs has come from DeMarvion Overshown. He says the new scheme is helping Dallas move with more speed because everyone on the field knows what they’re supposed to do.
Overshown pointed to the way Parker prepares the group in meetings and organizes the calls on the field. In his view, that’s what has allowed the defense to trust what it sees and react faster.
“He allows us to play fast just by putting us in the right calls, just by testing us in the meeting rooms, making sure everybody knows who they’re tied to, what the other 10 people are doing on the field,” Overshown said.
That defensive setup was on display Wednesday when the Cowboys hit the practice field. Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham and cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. both worked with the starters, and both appeared in team drills with the first unit.
Barham lined up at inside linebacker next to Overshown, which pushed Dee Winters out of the starting group. Revel also ran as a starting outside cornerback, with DaRon Bland on the other side.
With the preseason finale coming Friday against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys also released their final unofficial depth chart for the preseason. NFL rules require teams to provide depth charts for these games, though they continue to stress that they are unofficial.
One of the other major camp storylines has been the backup quarterback job, and Joe Milton is making his case. Milton has separated himself during training camp, showing more poise and patience in his second season with Dallas and under Brian Schottenheimer.
Milton, who is entering his third NFL season, said part of that growth has come from becoming a father last October.
“Having a girl is different,” said Milton, who’s entering his third season in the NFL. “If I had a boy, I think I’d probably be the same as last year.”
There’s also been a broader sense around the roster that the Cowboys look deeper than they did a year ago. Mickey Spagnola noted the amount of turnover has made a real difference, and he said the team has more depth and talent now, helped by both player development and additions to the roster.
“The biggest thing for me, if you take our roster from last year and laid it down next to our roster from this year, there is no question the depth and talent is higher, and some of that is us developing some young players … but also the addition of a number of pieces. And that is a credit to Jerry and Stephen (Jones) and Will McClay and his staff, and our coaches have a hand in that.
“This is a good football team - just got to make the right decisions when we get to cut-down day, which we will.”
On the field, one player trending up as the preseason wraps is Malik Davis. Mike Crum pointed to the running back room’s top end with Williams and said Davis has emerged as the depth piece no one really seems to want to give up on. He described Davis as a steady option who gets what’s blocked, can catch the ball, blocks well, and contributes on special teams.
In the latest preseason game, Davis caught a touchdown pass, held up in pass protection to help set up a big play, and rushed for nearly 6 yards per attempt.
In Other News...
Cowboys Face One Roster Decision Fans Can't Ignore Behind Dak
The Cowboys are closing in on a backup quarterback decision behind Dak Prescott, and the competition has taken shape around Joe Milton III and Sam Howell. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has spoken positively about both players preseason work, which gives the team a difficult but important choice at a position that can quickly reshape the feel of a season if the starter ever goes down.
Dallas is weighing a few other roster matters at the same time, including the depth chart at running back with Malik Davis, Jayden Blue and Phil Mafah all part of the conversation. There is also the matter of folding new addition Von Miller into the defense, which adds another layer to a busy stretch of roster evaluation as the Cowboys try to sort out who fits where before the regular season picture sharpens. [Read more 🡒]
Jaishawn Barham Is Suddenly Stirring A Huge Cowboys Linebacker Debate
A strong showing against the Cardinals has put Jaishawn Barham right in the middle of a familiar Cowboys conversation: whether Dallas may have found a linebacker who can change the shape of its defense. The third-round pick drew a high Pro Football Focus grade, looked stout against the run and even drew public praise from ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, who framed him as the kind of draft choice that can matter for years in Dallas.
The buzz has only grown because Barhams profile brings back memories of Sean Lee, the kind of instinctive, physical linebacker Cowboys fans remember well. Barham still has areas to clean up, but his blend of size and style is already forcing a debate about how quickly he can become part of the solution, and how important this pick might look compared with the rest of the class. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Tight End Battle Just Got More Complicated In Frisco
The Cowboys were back on the field in Frisco for a night practice that gave fans another look at training camp, and the session came and went without any new injuries being reported. Even so, the availability issues around the roster were hard to miss, with Jonathan Bullard, Julius Wood, DJ Rogers, Michael Trigg and Ajani Cornelius all sidelined for one reason or another, including Cornelius being added to the report with knee soreness.
That mix of absences helped push Dallas into another move at tight end, where the competition was already beginning to take shape before camp fully settled in. The club signed Mitch Van Vooren after injuries to Rogers and Trigg, a reminder that depth can change quickly this time of year and that a position group once viewed as a straightforward battle can become a lot more crowded in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]