Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Juanyeh Thomas is having a solid camp so far. This week, 2024 undrafted tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford has drawn a lot of eyes and deservedly so. After putting some good days of practice together, Spann-Ford was back at it again on Saturday. In one of the highlights of the day, Spann-Ford made a terrific catch down the middle of field for a touchdown that ignited the team in celebration. It’s a great sign for the second-year pro who could have a much larger role on the team in 2025. Yet, its another undrafted free agent who nearly stole the show a highlight performance. Juanyeh Thomas has been one of the intriguing prospects for the Cowboys since joining the Cowboys in 2022. Every year he makes strides and adds element to his game. Today at practice he made this outstanding play: Juanyeh Thomas cuts off the go ball and picks off Joe Milton pic.twitter.com/CFwLc2T0nP — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 26, 2025 Those that have been following Thomas have seen this before. He reads the eyes of the quarterback well and drives quickly on the ball with a excellent pair of soft hands. The Cowboys have tinkered with the prospect of playing Thomas at nickel cornerback as well as safety, and it’s because the Cowboys are proactively searching for ways to get him on the field. Thomas boasts an impressive athletic profile. At 6’3”, 217 lbs., he can seemingly do it all. He’s got some potential to return kicks also if needed. While Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker are the top two safeties, Thomas could see a lot more playing time as the season progresses and as for the slot cornerback, the position isn’t decided. Thomas could easily play both should the opportunity arise.

We’re counting down to the season opener (Day 39) with some Cowboys history We’re counting down the days until the Dallas Cowboys battle the Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener of the 2025 NFL season. To pass the time and mark the days, we are running through 100 Days of Cowboys. So sit back and enjoy some Cowboys history while we countdown to football. Today – number 39. Daryl Johnston Born: February 10, 1966. Youngstown, New YorkPosition: Fullback Dallas Cowboys: 1989-1999Awards: Super Bowl champion- XXVII, XXVIII, XXXPro Bowl– 1993, 1994 Set Number: X45504 Daryl Johnston played fullback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1989 to 1999, after being drafted in the second round out of Syracuse. Nicknamed “Moose” by fans and teammates, Johnston was a key but often unsung hero of the Cowboys’ offense during their 1990s dynasty. A punishing blocker, he paved the way for Emmitt Smith’s Hall of Fame career, helping Smith become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. Johnston played for three Super Bowl championship teams and was selected to two Pro Bowls, earning respect league-wide for his selfless, physical style of play. When @EmmittSmith22 became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, he shared an emotional moment with longtime teammate “Moose” @DarylJohnston. (Oct. 27, 2002) pic.twitter.com/qTLhXjXLhQ — NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) February 17, 2021 Best known for:Johnston was best known for being the lead blocker for Emmitt Smith, sacrificing personal stats to clear the way for one of the greatest rushing attacks in NFL history. Smith has made countless speeches where he attributes his success to Johnston’s blocking. Lesser known fact:Johnston was the first fullback in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl after the league officially separated the fullback position from halfback in voting, helping to bring recognition to a position often overlooked for its physical demands and unglamorous role. ✭ COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF ✭ With 100 days to go until the #Cowboys kickoff the season against the #Eagles, we are counting down with a @BloggingTheBoys Top-100 consensus ranking. We asked staffers to give in their top-100, here is: DAY 39Daryl Johnston #DallasCowboys… pic.twitter.com/9uGGmr0Db8 — Mike Poland (@kenfigkowboy) July 27, 2025

Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news. Will McClay on improving Cowboys roster, evaluating speed and toughness -Tommy Yarish, Dallascowboys.com Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay gives insights on how looks to enhance the roster. The Cowboys front office has been clear that player acquisition is always a 24/7 process and, like McClay said, they’ll always look at every option to improve their roster. On Thursday, the Las Vegas Raiders released defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who was a first-round pick in 2019 and signed a five-year, $110 million deal with the team in March of 2024, but is dealing with a left foot fracture and was let go because of a disagreement between he and the team on the recovery process. Nonetheless, it’s a position of need for the Cowboys and an intriguing name to hit the market. Will it be a situation that McClay and the team take a look at? “I mean, yeah, sure.” McClay said. While that work is being done off the field, it’s been no secret that Brian Schottenheimer is looking for a fast, physical training camp on the field in his first run as a head coach in the NFL. So far through three practices, he’s gotten just that, and maybe more than he’d like in some instances with a few skirmishes. That said, it’s still exactly what the Cowboys want, and exactly how McClay and the team have gone about constructing the roster. “That’s Schotty’s mantra and what we wanted to bring,” McClay said. “It’s fast and furious. You want to compete every day. That’s kind of our mantra; the NFL is a fast game. We got these guys, college guys number one, you got to get used to the pace. Number two, it’s about conditioning. If you want to play fast, if you want to be a fast football team, you want to play that way, you have to practice that way.” In today’s NFL and the game of football as a whole, speed is one of the most important factors for success, and it’s a trait that McClay learned the importance of early in his career from his father, Melvin. “Football is a game of leverage and angles,” McClay said. “My father taught me about that, that’s how I learned football. You think about it, so leverage and angles, that’s speed, right? I didn’t go into math class, I went straight to P.E., but there’s some principles that I learned, right?” “The faster that you can play, the faster you can get from point A to point B, the quicker you can make things happen.” While physical speed is one thing, processing speed is equally as important to be able to gain advantages on the field. “It’s the old saying: Speed kills,” McClay said. “If you know what you’re doing, if you understand where your weaknesses are, if you know that if you’re on top of things, if you play fast, people don’t want to play fast. People don’t want to play physical. If you can do it down after down after down, you impose your will on people, and you have to condition for that.” Finding speed during the evaluation process is pretty evident when you turn on a player’s film. Something a little more difficult to ascertain on video is toughness, but it’s equally as important of a trait to McClay and the Cowboys. So, that begs the question: How do you evaluate toughness? 3 Underrated Cowboys who Must Deliver in Camp – Mark Heaney, Inside the Star The Cowboys are hoping these players can play above expectations at training camp. After months of hype, speculation, and roster moves, NFL football is finally back. While fans have soaked in a week’s worth of training camp highlights, for three underrated Cowboys, this stretch means far more: It’s their shot to prove they belong. As always, the big names have dominated the headlines. When you throw in contract disputes and flashy newcomers, those under-the-radar guys get overlooked even more. However, as Cowboys fans should know by now, a lack of depth and support around those stars is what can actually kill a season. Dallas is going to need a total effort to compete for the playoffs this season, and while the front office has done a good job bringing in that additional talent, it’s up to these guys in camp to showcase what they have. Time to spotlight those three guys I alluded to, and why this camp is so important to their futures. Cooper Beebe: Year 2 Improvement, Or Stall Out? This has been a crazy year for the Cowboys’ offensive line. The turnover, the retirements, the draftees; it has been a full-scale upheaval of the previous era. In all that chaos, Cooper Beebe seems like one of the few stable pieces around. The 73rd selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Beebe stepped into a new role at center as a rookie and played pretty damn well. Perfect? No. Reliable? Absolutely. Where fellow-rookie Tyler Guyton seemed raw, and, at times, overmatched, Beebe handled a hard job with consistent play. Now, it’s time to see if he can grow beyond that, or stay put as a high-floor, low-ceiling player. Beebe comes into training camp alongside Tyler Smith as the two set-in-stone options for Dallas. Guyton, rookie Tyler Booker, and the now-injured Terence Steeleall have major questions that need answering. That presents a perfect opportunity for Beebe, one of the most underrated Cowboys, to change the narrative surrounding his potential. Caelen Carson: Tapping Into Potential, Or Another Disappointment? Personally, Caelen Carson’s rookie season was one of the most disappointing I’ve seen as a Cowboys fan. I know what you’re thinking: “He was a fifth-round pick.” But hear me out. Coming into the 2024 Draft, Carson was one of my absolute favorite cornerback prospects. He was my 61st overall player in the class. What looked like one of the biggest steals in the

Chris Jones-Imagn Images Cowboys running back room steps up the competition The first week of training camp is over. After six long months without football, it was nice to see the 2025 Dallas Cowboys back in their white and navy uniforms knocking off rust in Oxnard, California. One of the positions that will be heavily monitored throughout camp is the running back position. The team has added new faces to the running back room this offseason including Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and Jaydon Blue. While the players are still without full pads, one of the easiest positions to evaluate in shells is the running backs. Early returns show that Miles Sanders and Deuce Vaughn are making a case for roles in the regular season. Sanders, now 28, and Vaughn, now 23, have a lot to prove heading into the 2025 season. Sanders has struggled since signing with the Carolina Panthers in free agency and Vaughn has struggled to carry any momentum over into the regular season in very limited opportunities. But so far so good for Sanders and Vaughn who are in a tight competition to earn reps at the running back position for Brian Schottenheimer’s offense. It is still early, but in early practices, Javonte Williams has looked a bit on the slower side and rookie-fifth round pick Jaydon Blue has just now started to show what he can do in camp. Williams was signed to be the starter when you take into account is contract and guaranteed money, but so far Sanders looks to be the favorite to win that job at the end of camp. It is still very early, and things can change quickly in camp practices, but through one week, Cowboys’ fans should be pleased with the work of Sanders and Vaughn, and happy to see Blue starting to make plays. We’ll see how things progress over the next few weeks at one of the more interesting positions for the Cowboys this offseason.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Here is what is going on with the NFC East right now. Commanders camp just started but rising star is already shining in familiar spot – Dean Jones, RiggosRag.com Impressions are already being made in the first week of training camp. Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and his exceptional coaching staff are putting players through their initial paces at training camp. This is still the bedding-in period, but one not-so-subtle shift surrounding a potential franchise cornerstone has already caught the eye. Joe Whitt Jr. is demanding more from his cornerback unit this season. Second-year general manager Adam Peters has improved the playing personnel available, spending a second-round pick on Trey Amos and also signing two-time Super Bowl winner Jonathan Jones in free agency. Noah Igbinoghene got another one-year deal from the franchise after impressing last time around. Four-time Pro Bowl corner Marshon Lattimore also looks healthy, refocused, and explosive after finally ridding himself of the hamstring complication that blighted the early returns of his trade. That is a game-changer in no uncertain terms. Mike Sainristil is already thriving in the nickel at Commanders training camp Then, there’s Mike Sainristil. The 2024 second-round pick thrived as a rookie, proving no moment was too big en route to becoming a key part of the team’s plans. His competitiveness, composure on the biggest stages, and relentless work ethic defied his status as the No. 50 pick. It’s early days, but the Commanders already have a huge steal on their hands. Thanks to the additions made this offseason, the Commanders are moving Sainristil back to the position where he starred in college. Whitt had to move him to the boundary last season after the likes of Benjamin St-Juste, Michael Davis, and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. began to struggle. He took on the challenge and excelled, but his skills are much better suited to the nickel. With Amos and Jones competing for the starting outside role opposite Lattimore, the Commanders are throwing Sainristil back into the slot. This gives him more flexibility to be instinctive, and Washington will already have several ways devised schematically to maximize his skill set. Sainristil is already turning heads in his preferred position. Those in attendance noted his superb pass defenses on Day 2 of camp. The Commanders’ defense has questions to answer elsewhere, but the coaching staff can relax, safe in the knowledge that they don’t have anything to worry about where the Michigan product is concerned. What does Cooper DeJean think of his new nickname from A.J. Brown? – Dave Zangaro, NBC Sports Philadelphia An impressive rookie season led to a praiseworthy nickname for the Eagles DB. It started in OTAs. That was when A.J. Brown began calling second-year defensive back Cooper DeJean “All-Pro Coop” or “APC” if he abbreviates it. DeJean, 22, had a good rookie season for a second-round pick and he capped it with a pick-6 in Super Bowl LIX. But All-Pro Coop? “I thought he was crazy,” DeJean said after the Eagles’ second training camp practice of 2025. “I thought he was crazy. But when he explained it to me, he’s trying to speak it into existence for me. That gives me something to work towards and try to prove every single day when I come out here.” The Eagles were ecstatic last April when they were able to move up in the second round to draft DeJean with the No. 40 overall pick out of Iowa. A hamstring injury delayed DeJean’s first training camp and put him behind last summer. But when the Eagles came back from their Week 5 bye week in 2024 with a 2-2 record, DeJean was inserted into the lineup as the starting nickel corner and the Eagles’ defense took off. Under Vic Fangio, the Eagles had the No. 1 overall defense and the No. 1 passing defense in the entire NFL en route to a dominant performance against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. And DeJean was a major part of all of it. So maybe it’s not too crazy to start thinking about the ceiling for DeJean, even if All-Pro feels like a lofty goal. “It gives me something to strive and to work for,” DeJean said. “We had talked about that during OTAs. [Brown is] going to be one that pushes me every single day to make sure that I’m playing at a high level, no matter the day, to work towards that. Which is pretty cool coming from a guy who’s been All-Pro multiple times.” Giants’ Dexter Lawrence: Deonte Banks, Cor’Dale Flott ‘speaking up a little bit’ – Serena Burks, USA Today Leadership is taking hold in New York. The New York Giants opened training camp on Wednesday, and after their practice, several players were made available to the media for questions. Nose tackle Dexter Lawrence is the clear leader on the defense, and he’s ready to get back to work after missing the last five games of 2024 with a dislocated elbow. When Lawrence spoke with the media after the Giants’ first official practice of 2025, he was asked what gives him hope that this team is going to be better this year. “I think it is different guys like (Deonte Banks) speaking up a little bit,” he replied. “(Cor’Dale) Flott speaking up a little bit. Different guys like that who have been here for a little bit who haven’t spoken much, but they’re more comfortable in their roles, whatever it is. “I think that’s what a team is. You got to understand your roles. If you’re special teams, you’re special teams. You’re a superstar, you’re a superstar, you’re a backup, you’re a backup, and flourishing in those roles, because you never know where it can go. I think we’re all part of a body, and the body is this team and this organization, and everybody [has] to do their specific role every day so we can get what we want

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Here is our open thread for Saturday’s Dallas Cowboys training camp practice. Greetings Cowboys fans. We have reached NFL training camp time as the Dallas Cowboys are holding training camp practices out in Oxnard, California. We’ll open these threads for every practice so that the Blogging The Boys community will have a place to congregate and discuss what is going on out at practice. Unfortunately, dropping a Twitter List into this page no longer functions the way that it used to due to changes that the platform has made. We do have a list we recommend if you want to follow it in another tab. You can access it right here. In order to keep the flow of things as smooth as possible though we’ll be dropping in updates and news items in this thread. Give us your take on them in the comments. Here we go. Editor’s Note: This post will be updated throughout practice with relevant news, information and highlights. The newest ones will be placed at the top so if you miss practice or want to see/read in chronological order make sure to scroll down to start. Nice work here. Joe Milton to Brevyn Spann-Ford pic.twitter.com/oz02tAuDFA — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 26, 2025 Kaiir Elam having a camp. Kaiir Elam interception and great celebration pic.twitter.com/Z26SatpgJV — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 26, 2025 Injury update. Cowboys WR Parris Campbell being helped off the field with an apparent leg injury — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 26, 2025 This. Jaydon Blue with one heck of a one-handed catch on a throw from Joe Milton. pic.twitter.com/s9g7h6UmPa — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 26, 2025 Defense still getting turnovers. Juanyeh Thomas picks off Joe Milton pic.twitter.com/uUDs2ulKD9 — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 26, 2025 Explosive players needed. Jaydon Blue is starting to stack some reps together pic.twitter.com/d7pKInBD5h — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 26, 2025 The play went nowhere, but we applaud using KaVontae Turpin in creative ways on offense. Nice run defense from Sam Williams and Solomon Thomas here with KaVontae Turpin in the backfield. pic.twitter.com/9dTcpPxTrV — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 26, 2025 This is also good news. Josh Butler is also on the field today working with the corners less than 8 months since his ACL tear on Thanksgiving. Could be nearing a return from PUP. pic.twitter.com/cF3FTH9eHE — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 26, 2025 We needed this update. Rookie third-round pick CB Shavon Revel Jr. has his helmet and cleats on around the corners today. Not with the rehab group for the first time. Could be nearing a return from PUP, would be huge for him to be cleared before the first preseason game on August 9. pic.twitter.com/8JANicJWqA — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 26, 2025 Schotty is always fired up. Brian Schottenheimer is fired up today #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/cFnZ4OH4Fm — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) July 26, 2025 Injury update. Terence Steele missing his second straight practice with an ankle injury but his absence is not expected to be a long one. Just being cautious. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 26, 2025 Your daily Micah. Micah Parsons, in sneakers, stretching with Mazi Smith before #Cowboys practice pic.twitter.com/6siH3gxS2h — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) July 26, 2025 The rebellion begins… Jerry Jones says during his speech, “Now, on to business.” The crowd agrees by starting loud “Pay Micah” chants. pic.twitter.com/glQ8cjR7Z2 — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 26, 2025 Heh. After Charles Haley extols Jerry Jones, saying in part, He is all about winning,” one fan yelled, “Jerry, sign Micah,” and another screamed, “Sell the team.” pic.twitter.com/9BcJHlEE6m — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 26, 2025

Chris Jones-Imagn Images An injury at RT tests Cowboys OT depth early in camp. Injuries along the offensive line are inevitable, and the Dallas Cowboys were hit with their first one on Thursday. Starting right tackle Terence Steele was originally reported to have a high ankle sprain, but was later clarified as a low ankle sprain, according to Clarence Hill of All City DLLS. Cowboys RT Terence Steele is day to day with a low right ankle sprain — Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) July 25, 2025 High ankle sprains are one of the more tricky injuries in the NFL, but low ankle sprains are much easier to control and get back on the field with. Even listed as day-to-day, this early in camp, do not be surprised if the Cowboys elect to take things slow with their starting right tackle to ensure he is at full strength for the start of the season. The blessing in disguise in all of this is it will give the team time to see what they have in a few of their young players along the offensive line. Asim Richards is heading into year three and has shown to be a capable NFL offensive lineman in limited opportunities. Injuries for the fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft have limited him early in his career, but the Cowboys seem to be excited about his potential to be a high-end backup, with the ability to develop into a capable starter. Another interesting name to keep an eye on is Hakeem Adeniji. Adeniji has been away from the game since 2023, but started 15 games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020-2022 before signing with the Minnesota Vikings for the 2023 season. Injuries have also been a factor for Adeniji, who has struggled to stay healthy in his four-year career so far, but after stepping away from the game in 2024, Adeniji should be fully healthy and looking to compete for a backup role on an offensive line with a lot of bodies. Recently, coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned second-year player Nate Thomas as someone who was doing well at the tackle spot. After missing all of last year with a knee issue, he is trying to carve out a role on this offensive line. When discussing the topic on social media, fans were very interested in seeing 2025 sixth-round pick Ajani Cornelius. Cornelius started all 14 games at right tackle for the Oregon Ducks in 2024, but was announced as a guard when the Cowboys selected him in the sixth round of this year’s draft. While Steele is absent, look for these guys to get work at tackle and we’ll see who grabs the opportunity. A minor injury this early is not necessarily a bad thing, as the coaching staff will get a long look at a few of their intriguing depth offensive lineman before the regular season is here.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Cowboys defense is off to a strong start so far during camp. It is a bold move to make any declarative statements the first week of training camp, but Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was not afraid to put his defense on our radar. On Tuesday, Schottenheimer said to the media, “I think we’re going to be one of the top takeaway teams.” To this point, the defense has backed up the words of their head coach Any time you open up Twitter to check on what’s happening at training camp, there is another highlight video of the defense making a play. On Wednesday, the defense was forcing pass breakups, interceptions, and fumbles left and right. The trend continued on Thursday with the defense racking up three interceptions on the day from various quarterbacks. Matt Eberflus’ defense continues to take the ball away — Malik Hooker grabbing the defense’s third interception of the day (mix of QBs). Dak Prescott repaid this one with a touchdown throw to George Pickens. the battle is on. #Cowboys #TrainingCamp pic.twitter.com/DVWeShiBS8 — Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) July 24, 2025 Some may view this as a chicken-or-the-egg debate. Is the Cowboys’ defense truly this good, or is it a concern for the offense? The answer should be a positive sign for the defense. There is simply too much talent on offense for this unit to struggle all season at this level. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has consistently had his units ranked as some of the best takeaway teams since he began calling plays on defense. Dating back to his first opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, Eberflus’ defense has been outside of the top ten just once across seven seasons. His defense was top five three times. Twice with the Colts and once with the Chicago Bears. His aggressive nature and need to force turnovers have been a part of his coaching DNA and something he talked about this offseason on The Doomsday Podcast. Since the defense cannot hit the quarterback in practice, takeaways are the only thing that can be tallied up during practice reports, but that does not mean the defense is not getting pressure on the quarterback. Along with forcing turnovers, second-round picks Donovan Ezeiruaku and Marshawn Kneeland, plus Dante Fowler, have consistently turned up the heat on Dak Prescott and the other passers. Based on Todd Archer’s post-practice recaps, the defense has forced seven interceptions and at least five forced fumbles through three days of practice. In 2021 and 2022, Dan Quinn had the Dallas defense No. 1 in takeaways. At this rate, the 2025 defense under Eberflus has a chance to be the best of the bunch.

Think you can figure out which Cowboys player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game! Hey Cowboys fans! We’re back for another day of the Blogging The Boys in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form. If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article. Previous games Friday, July 25, 2025Thursday, July 24, 2025Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games NFL in-5MLB in-5MMA in-5 Blogging The Boys in-5 instructions The goal of the game is to guess the correct Cowboys player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form. Enjoy!

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Up or down at Cowboys camp? We’ve had three days of practice at the Cowboys’ 2025 training camp. Who’s been making impressions, both good and bad, so far in Oxnard? Here’s our latest stock report. Naturally, it’s still early. Some guys may still be finding their groove in a new system, and others may look better without pads on. There is still a lot more to come in these dog days of summer, including preseason games, which will ultimately decide who wins coveted roster spots and depth chart positions. STOCK UP TE Jake Ferguson There is plenty of reason to be bullish on Ferguson in 2025. Contract season, getting healthy again, Dak Prescott’s return, and now having George Pickens to draw defensive attention all work in his favor. And if early reports mean anything for the regular season, TE1 is taking advantage of all of them. Prescott and Ferguson have been connecting often in practice. And this is the first week of camp, when the focus is more on executing plays by design. Ferguson will likely get even more targets in real games when Prescott is working through his options and seeing Ferguson enjoying what Pickens and CeeDee Lamb open up for him. DE Donovan Ezeiruaku The rookie is already making noise, especially on Day 3, and proving difficult for anybody to stop. With the athleticism to blow past slower blockers and pass-rushing moves to win his battles, Ezeiruaku may be coming for a major share of the DE snaps early. This isn’t to say that others like Dante Fowler or Marshawn Kneeland haven’t been good. We’ve seen evidence that all of them are making plays. But it’s Ezeiruaku who is dominating out there, and getting valuable work while Micah Parsons isn’t on the field. If he keeps this going into September, Dallas may have struck gold in the draft. OT Nate Thomas An afterthought among our backup offensive linemen this season, Thomas is getting noticed now in Oxnard. He missed last year with knee issues but has shown up this week, emerging as a potential swing tackle candidate and earning direct praise from Brian Schottenheimer. For all of their depth at the interior line, the tackle spots remain dubious. It felt like Asim Richards was going to win the swing job by default, or at least backup LT, but now Thomas may make it a true competition. And as we’re about to see, more depth at tackle is no small matter. STOCK DOWN OT Terence Steele This is not about anything Steele’s done on the field, but that he’s now going to be missing from it due to a high ankle sprain. It may only be a few days, according to reports, but that’s valuable time for Steele as he looks to solidify his starting role. This season is crucial for the sixth-year veteran. The Cowboys have a good out from his contract in 2026, shaving $8.75 million off the cap, but he’s still just 28 and could earn continued loyalty with a strong performance. Given the stakes, anything that could impede his progress is of extra concern. DT Mazi Smith With reports that Smith is again losing weight and working towards more of 3-tech role, it’s starting to feel like the beginning of the end for the former first-rounder. This is what they tried to do with him as a rookie, which didn’t bear fruit, and then last year they beefed him up to play 1-tech. Now we’re bouncing back the other way, and all of this indecision means a lack of continuity and a harder time developing. Granted, this is a new defensive coaching staff. Maybe they have a better vision for what to do with Smith once he makes the transition. But with Osa Odighizuwa already your primary pass-rushing DT and Solomon Thomas now here as his backup, you have to wonder how many snaps Smith can even get in this role to prove his value.