The Cowboys are getting a head start on the kind of chemistry that usually gets built once pads come on in Oxnard.
Dallas won’t arrive in California for the start of training camp until Monday, July 27, but the offensive skill players are already spending time together before the 2026 NFL season gets going. The team returns all 11 starters on offense this year, which gives the group a built-in comfort level, but the players are still using this stretch to tighten things up even more.
That work is happening at the annual Cowboys retreat, with this year’s gathering taking place in Park City, Utah. Tight end Jake Ferguson gave fans the first look at the trip by sharing a clip on social media.
The #Cowboys annual offensive skill group retreat is underway. I’m sure we’ll see more clips soon.(🎥: @jqfergy11 on IG) pic.twitter.com/JijQHOusf9
The players in Utah include Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, Jaydon Blue, and Marques Valdes-Scantling. Also part of the retreat are tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford and backup quarterback Joe Milton III.
For Milton, Schoonmaker, and Valdes-Scantling, the timing matters a little more than it does for some of the others. All three are set to battle for roster spots once camp opens, so every rep, every conversation, and every bit of familiarity could count.
Dallas will keep building toward its first game of the season against the New York Giants on September 13. If this group gets the details right now, the hope is that the offense will be ready to roll when that opener arrives.
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Instead, the conversation around Bland has shifted back to health and availability, with recurring foot problems once again clouding his role. He tried to play through the pain in 2025 and still gave Dallas useful snaps, but the production never matched the standard he set two years ago, leaving the Cowboys waiting on a return to form at a position where they cant afford many more setbacks. [Read more 🡒]
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One analyst has floated a veteran name as a possible fit, and the idea comes with plenty of baggage. The corner in question was released by Washington earlier this offseason and is trying to work back from a torn ACL, with availability and performance both in question after he has not topped 10 games in a season since 2021. For Dallas, it is the kind of move that would make sense on paper if the team wants insurance, but it would also force a hard look at whether the upside is still worth the risk. [Read more 🡒]
