The Cowboys’ first night back in Frisco came and went without any fresh injuries, which is the kind of news every camp wants to hear. After wrapping up work in Oxnard, California, Dallas held its opening practice at home with fans on hand, and the session ended cleanly on the injury front.
That doesn’t mean the report was empty. Five players were listed as non-participants: defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard, safety Julius Wood, tight ends DJ Rogers and Michael Trigg, and offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius, according to Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com.
Most of that list was expected. Bullard, Wood, Rogers and Trigg were already known to be dealing with injuries, so their absences didn’t change much. Cornelius, though, was a new name on the report.
Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reported that Cornelius is dealing with knee soreness, and it does not sound like a major issue. The 2025 sixth-round pick has been working for a depth job at guard, and he has started both exhibition games. He also has the ability to play tackle.
His preseason work has been solid overall, even if it hasn’t been flawless. Cornelius owns Pro Football Focus marks of 84.1 in run-blocking and 62.9 in pass protection, and he has allowed three pressures total. The fact that he has opened both exhibition games only helps his case for a roster spot.
Bullard has been out for weeks with groin and abdomen issues and has yet to appear in either preseason game. He had been in line to battle Otito Ogbonnia for snaps inside on Dallas’ defense.
Trigg’s situation has lingered since he suffered a toe injury in the preseason Week 1 game. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer would not say whether Trigg will be ready for the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints on Friday night.
Rogers is also in question after hurting his knee in practice last week. He sat out the last preseason game, and his status for preseason Week 3 remains uncertain as well.
With both Trigg and Rogers sidelined, the Cowboys added tight end Mitch Van Vooren in free agency on Monday.
Wood’s injury came in the second preseason game on Saturday night, and he is now in concussion protocol. He has been one of the standout stories of the offseason, but the path to a roster spot is still steep, with Markquese Bell appearing likely to take what could be the final safety job.
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Cowboys Defense Already Has Something To Prove After Davante Adams Claim
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A Cowboys insider pushed back on that version of events, pointing to plays the defense did make and giving Dallas reason to treat the practice buzz as more of a challenge than a verdict. With the secondary still settling in and the opener approaching, the Cowboys do not need outside praise or criticism nearly as much as they need proof, especially with opponents like the Giants potentially getting key receivers back in the mix for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Finally Have A Rivalries Uniform Timeline To Watch
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It also adds to an already crowded closet in Arlington, where the Cowboys cycle through a primary white set, a navy blue combination, a classic throwback and the all-white Arctic look. Under the leagues plan, those Rivalries uniforms are expected to stay in rotation for three years unless they are updated sooner, so once Dallas gets its turn, it should be a fixture for a while rather than a one-off. [Read more 🡒]
Why One Cowboys No. 50 Still Stands Above The Rest
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Lewiss value went beyond the usual count of tackles and seasons, which is why he still rises above the rest in this lane. He remains the franchises playoff-games leader, and his place in both Cowboys Super Bowl runs gave the number a championship edge that others never matched. Even now, the old Texas Stadium line attached to Lewis still feels like part of the franchises memory, a reminder that some jerseys are about more than who wore them - theyre about when the team was at its defining best. [Read more 🡒]