The Cowboys’ training camp is already producing the kind of roster chatter that can shape a season, and a few names keep coming up for all the right reasons.
Jordyn Brooks is the one rumor that refuses to go away. Dallas has already been tied to him, and Miami had multiple teams asking about him earlier this offseason.
The numbers from last year explain why: 183 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a first-team All-Pro nod in 2025. That’s not a depth piece.
That’s the kind of player who walks into a room and immediately becomes the best defender in it.
At first glance, the contract seemed like a deal-breaker. Miami handed Brooks a three-year, $51.3 million extension with $35 million guaranteed, which sounds like the sort of price tag that shuts down any conversation.
But the structure changes the picture. According to Over The Cap, Brooks received a $12.31 million signing bonus, and his 2026 base salary is only $1.215 million.
Miami has already absorbed the bonus, and that makes the financial side look far more workable than the headline suggests.
While that possibility lingers, the Cowboys are also dealing with what looks like a very good problem on the edge. Sam Williams has been one of the early standouts in camp, and team reporter Nick Eatman described him as “dominant.”
“Sam Williams has a big opportunity in front of him this year and he looked rather dominant during the team drills,” Eatman wrote.
“On two straight plays, he showed the variety of skill set the Cowboys have always admired from Williams, who ran stride for stride with running back Dominic Richardson on a wheel route down the field, and then stuffed the same running back in the hole on the next play. Also, Williams lived in the backfield, creating all kinds of pressure rushing from the left side.”
That kind of showing is exactly what Dallas needs from him. A real breakout from Williams would give the defense a different edge, especially with Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku expected to carry a lot of weight in the outside linebacker room. Gary’s strength against the run gives him a solid floor, while Ezeiruaku’s upside could decide how dangerous that pass rush becomes.
Even with camp underway, the Cowboys still have room to be aggressive if something isn’t right. One analysis pointed to the danger of letting a defensive issue linger too long, especially after Dallas had to wait until the trade deadline last season before landing defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. The argument is simple: if the coaching staff spots a weakness, it shouldn’t be ignored.
That same thinking has fans wondering whether the secondary could be the place to strike if things don’t settle the way the front office wants. Names like Cobie Durant, Jalen Thompson and P.J.
Locke were mentioned as additions that might not pan out, or could become more important if injuries hit the back end. There’s also concern around Malik Hooker and DaRon Bland.
Bland has the résumé to support big expectations, but his name was still raised as someone who could be part of a major deal, even after signing his four-year, $90 million extension last August.
For now, the Cowboys are also monitoring a few absences from Saturday’s camp practice. Safeties P.J.
Locke and Jalen Thompson were both out, along with cornerback Zion Childress. Locke appeared to hyperextend his knee on the first day of on-field work, and although the team called it minor, he missed his second straight practice.
Thompson was held out because of a hip issue, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Childress is dealing with a hamstring injury, and with a roster battle ahead of him, every missed rep matters.
Starting tight end Jake Ferguson also sat out for personal reasons.
Ferguson’s absence opened the door for reserve tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford and the rest of the group to get more work with the first offense.
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Cowboys Camp Is Already Sorting Out Whos Rising And Whos In Trouble
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Gaechters most memorable moment came on a 100-yard interception return, a play that stood as the longest in team history for nearly half a century. Over eight seasons, he picked off 21 passes before an Achilles injury and a later trade brought his Cowboys run to an end, but his place in the clubs history remains secure whenever the conversation turns to the best to wear 27. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Still Have One Roster Concern Camp Hype Hasn't Answered
The first week of Cowboys training camp has offered enough to feed the optimism that always comes with July, especially with Dak Prescott and George Pickens turning heads early. There has been plenty to like in the building, but the early buzz has also come with the usual reminder that camp headlines can only tell you so much before the work gets harder and the pads come on.
A few of the biggest questions around this roster still need a real test, from the linebacker group to Shavon Revels development and the bigger-picture readiness of the offensive line and pass rush. Those evaluations should start to sharpen once practices intensify and live contact begins, which is when the Cowboys will find out whether the encouraging first impressions are the start of answers or just the opening act. [Read more 🡒]