The Cowboys arrived in Oxnard on Monday evening and, with training camp about to get rolling, Tyler Smith wasted no time putting the team’s big-picture goals front and center.
Dallas is back in California to open camp for the 2026 NFL season, and a few players stopped to talk after stepping off the bus and into the team hotel. Smith, one of the Cowboys’ top offensive linemen, was among them, and the conversation quickly turned to the kind of expectations hanging over this team.
There’s been plenty of Super Bowl talk in Dallas already, from Dak Prescott to Brian Schottenheimer, even after the Cowboys have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Smith didn’t flinch when asked about the “Super Bowl or bust” mindset. He called it “very realistic” for the Cowboys to contend.
“I think it's extremely realistic," Smith said, per the team's official website. "I think if you put in the work and you do what you're supposed to do, and you continue to attack it every day, like you're supposed to attack it, you can be a champion."
For Smith, the focus is less about the noise and more about doing his job wherever the coaches decide to place him. The team has kept the possibility open that he could play left tackle or stay inside at guard, where he earned All-Pro recognition. Smith said he still hasn’t been told which spot he’ll man during camp.
"You know, we'll see what happens," Smith said. "Ultimately, Schotty makes those decisions. Wherever I do line up, I'm gonna be at the best of my abilities."
That decision should become clearer when the Cowboys hit the field for their first training camp practice on Wednesday, July 29. Until then, Smith’s message is simple: the goal in Dallas is still the biggest one of all.
In Other News...
Cowboys RB Battle Has One Twist Fans Arent Talking About
As training camp nears, the Cowboys backup running back picture is getting tighter, and Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah have both made a strong early impression with their development and burst. But this is more than a simple youth movement at the position, because Dallas also has to sort out how much value it wants to place on a back who can help in other phases of the game.
Malik Davis has a case that goes beyond the depth chart at running back. His work on special teams gives him a different path to the roster than Blue or Mafah, and that matters for a team that has to account for the loss of C.J. Goodwin and the possibility that Ryan Flournoy takes on a bigger offensive role. Davis has handled key special teams responsibilities before, and that kind of versatility could end up being the detail that keeps this battle alive well into camp. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Already Have One Big Concern About Jake Ferguson's New Deal
Jake Fergusons new deal gives the Cowboys a clear answer at tight end, but it also puts a spotlight on what theyre actually paying for. The four-year, $52 million extension with $30 million guaranteed makes him one of the leagues highest-paid players at the position, and that kind of contract brings expectations that go well beyond catches and volume.
Ferguson did post a career-high in receptions last season, yet the bigger concern is whether the production matched the role. His yards after catch dipped, his impact on a per-play basis faded, and the Cowboys now have to sort out whether the extension reflects the player they believe he is or the one they still hope he can become. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Rookie Suddenly Has A Real Shot In Unsettled Secondary
The cornerback picture in Dallas is still very much in flux as the 2026 season approaches, and that has created a real opening for a rookie who might not have seemed like much more than a developmental piece a few weeks ago. Cobie Durant, Shavon Revel Jr. and Caelen Carson are all in the mix, but none has separated enough to make the job distribution feel settled, especially with the spot opposite Daron Bland still hanging in the balance.
Devin Moore, the Cowboys fourth-round pick, has started to look like more than just depth as live contact practices get underway. His physical style gives him a chance to press up on receivers and help in the run game, and in a secondary where opportunity is tied closely to availability and consistency, that kind of profile can matter quickly if the competition stays open. [Read more 🡒]