What to watch for as Dallas Cowboys training camp gets underway
Training camp for the Dallas Cowboys 2025-26 season starts on Tuesday in Oxnard, Calif.
The Cowboys are trying to bounce back following a disappointing season, finishing with a 7-10 record. Here are some things to watch for in training camp and beyond.
New coaching staff
The Cowboys have new leaders on the coaching staff, after Jerry Jones and former head coach Mike McCarthy could not come to an agreement on a contract extension. McCarthy's contract expired in January, and Jones opted to promote offensive coordinator Schottenheimer to the head coaching spot.
Schottenheimer brought in former Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams to be his offensive coordinator. On defense, he hired former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus to be the coordinator. Schottenheimer also brought in former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Bick Sorenson to be the special teams coordinator.
Dak Prescott is back
Quarterback Dak Prescott will be back under center for the Cowboys after missing the last nine games of last season due to a hamstring injury. Prescott participated in the team's minicamp last month and should be ready to go for the season.
In case they need to go to a backup quarterback again, the Cowboys will no longer turn to Cooper Rush. They acquired from the New England Patriots, along with a 7th-round draft pick, in exchange for a 5th-rounder.
The Cowboys also signed QB Will Grier, who was on the team in 2022.
New weapons on offense
The Cowboys added some much-needed weapons on the offensive side of the ball for Prescott to target.
In May, they traded for wide receiver George Pickens, sending 3rd-round and 5th-round draft picks to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange. The Cowboys also received a 6th-round pick in the deal.
The Cowboys had been looking to replace veteran receiver Brandin Cooks, who signed with New Orleans in free agency. The Cowboys opted not to draft a receiver.
Pickens is a 6-3, 200-pound former 2nd-round pick entering the final year of his contract and has a reputation as a somewhat mercurial personality. He has 174 career receptions for 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 16.1 yards per catch.
For the running game, the Cowboys have moved on from the tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle. The team signed veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders and drafted former Texas Longhorn Jaydon Blue in the 5th round.
Zack Martin's replacement
Zack Martin, a mainstay of the Cowboys' offensive line and future Hall-of-Famer, retired at the end of the 2024-25 season, and the team did not waste time filling his spot.
With their first pick in the NFL Draft, the Cowboys selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker. According to Bill Jones of CBS Sports Texas, Booker is a "big, strong Alpha male leader."
"He has a wide base, which enables him to anchor and stymie pass rushers, and he can be a mauler in the trenches. Paired with 2-time Pro Bowler Tyler Smith at the guard positions flanking center Cooper Beebe, the Cowboys' trenches can be greatly upgraded with the addition of Tyler Booker," Jones wrote.
Micah Parsons contract situation
Much like last year's offseason drama, with the Cowboys negotiating contract extensions with Prescott and WR CeeDee Lamb, the team has another star player going into the last year of his deal.
Pass rusher Micah Parsons is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract and has been one of the best at his position in the NFL since he was drafted in 2020. Parsons has said he is , and he will most likely get it.
This week, another elite pass rusher, Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt, signed a , making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. Earlier this year, the Browns' Myles Garrett signed a 4-year, $160M deal, making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history until the Watt contract.
Key changes on defense
The Cowboys finished last season near the bottom of the NFL on defense, allowing the second-most points in the league and the fifth-highest yards per play.
In addition to a new coordinator, the roster has been overhauled.
Key departures:
- DE Demarcus Lawrence
- DE Chauncey Golston
- LB Eric Kendricks
- CB Jourdan Lewis
Key additions:
- DT Solomon Thomas
- DE Dante Fowler
- LB Kenneth Murray
- LB Jack Sanborn
- CB Kaiir Elam
- DE Donovan Ezieruaku (2nd round draft pick)
- CB Shavon Revel (3rd round draft pick)
