FRISCO, Texas — The speculation is over. The offseason program has run its course, and now the Dallas Cowboys head to Oxnard, California, where the real evaluation begins.
Players are scheduled to report for training camp on July 28, with the first full practice set for July 29. For first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the next several weeks will be the first true opportunity to mold the team in his image as the Cowboys begin preparations for the 2026 season.
Every training camp brings optimism, but this one carries a different feel. Dallas returns an experienced core on both sides of the football while welcoming new leadership and a talented rookie class expected to contribute immediately.
The offense begins with quarterback Dak Prescott, who remains the centerpiece of the franchise entering his 11th NFL season.
Prescott is coming off another productive campaign after completing 404 of 600 passes for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while posting a 67.3 percent completion rate. He also contributed with his legs, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns, continuing to show his ability to extend drives when plays break down.
Prescott will once again be surrounded by one of the NFL’s most complete collections of offensive talent.
Despite missing three games in 2025 with a high ankle sprain, CeeDee Lamb still recorded 75 receptions for 1,077 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games. George Pickens followed with a career-best season, hauling in 93 receptions for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns while appearing in all 17 games. Together, the pair gives Dallas one of the league’s premier wide receiver tandems and presents matchup problems for every defense they face.
The Cowboys also return one of the NFC’s most productive running backs. Javonte Williams is coming off a career year after rushing for 1,201 yards on 252 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt while scoring 11 rushing touchdowns in 16 games. His physical running style and ability to finish drives provide balance to the offense and should play a major role in Schottenheimer’s commitment to a more complete attack.
Tight end Jake Ferguson remains another key piece of the offense. One of Prescott’s most dependable targets over the middle, Ferguson’s versatility as both a receiver and blocker gives Dallas flexibility in multiple offensive formations while creating favorable matchups against linebackers and safeties.
Just as important to the Cowboys’ success will be the offensive line.
Dallas returns a talented, ascending group highlighted by the “Three Tylers”—Tyler Smith, Tyler Guyton and Tyler Booker. Smith enters his fourth NFL season as one of the league’s premier offensive linemen, combining power, athleticism and leadership. Guyton begins his third season with valuable experience under his belt, while Booker enters his second year looking to build on a promising rookie campaign. Their continued development will be critical in protecting Prescott and opening running lanes for Williams as Dallas looks to establish one of the NFL’s most balanced offenses.
The defense enters camp with its own share of expectations.
Christian Parker begins his first season as defensive coordinator, inheriting a veteran group anchored by Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. After helping solidify the Cowboys’ defensive front throughout the 2025 season, both return as the foundation of Parker’s scheme. Williams remains one of football’s most disruptive interior defenders, while Clark continues to provide veteran leadership and consistency against both the run and pass.
Dallas strengthened the edge by adding Rashan Gary, whose explosiveness and relentless motor give Parker another proven pass rusher capable of changing games. The combination of Gary, Williams and Clark provides the Cowboys with one of the conference’s most formidable defensive fronts.
Another player to watch throughout camp is cornerback DaRon Bland. After injuries limited him during the 2025 season, Bland enters camp healthy and determined to return to the playmaking form that established him as one of the NFL’s premier ballhawks. His return could be just as significant as any offseason addition.
The Cowboys are also eager to see their rookie class compete.
Edge rusher Malachi Lawrence arrives from UCF looking to earn a role in the defensive line rotation. Linebacker Jaishawn Barham brings athleticism and versatility to the second level, while rookie safety Caleb Downs enters training camp with expectations of contributing immediately. Downs’ instincts, range and football intelligence could make him an important piece of the secondary early in his career.
Training camp has always been about more than established stars. It is where young players emerge, veterans secure roster spots and the final pieces of a championship-caliber roster begin to fall into place.
With Prescott directing the offense, Lamb, Pickens, Ferguson and Williams providing one of the NFL’s deepest collections of skill-position talent, an offensive line led by the “Three Tylers,” and a defense featuring Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, DaRon Bland and an exciting rookie class, the Cowboys believe they have assembled a roster capable of competing with anyone in the NFC.
The real work begins in Oxnard, where expectations are no longer measured on paper but on the practice field.
