The Dallas Cowboys season is officially underway as the team held its first training camp practice on Wednesday morning in Oxnard, California.
Per NFL rules, the team’s training camp will start with non-contact practices and slowly evolve into padded practices.
Over the first five days, teams cannot be on the field for more than three and a half hours, and that expands to four hours following a mandatory day off after the first five practices.
“We put a tremendous amount of time into preparation for this camp, not only what drills [but] how we’re doing it, the efficiency of across-the-hall presentations, and everything because there’s so much to get done here, and the level of efficiency to me really feeds into the competitive spirit of your team,” head coach Mike McCarthy told the media before Wednesday’s practice.
One of the most prominent topics discussed was the contract extension the Cowboys gave cornerback Trevon Diggs on Tuesday, keeping him with the team for another five years.
“It’s good all the way around,” McCarthy explained. “Personally, [I’m] just excited for him and his family and what it means for his financial future. For us here at the Dallas Cowboys, the timing’s great, but second contracts, I think, are such an important part of the ‘draft and develop’ method, and when you’re able to get your guys done, [when] it’s all in front of us, I’m excited to see that happen.”
Diggs has been a crucial member of the Cowboys’ defensive resurgence, tallying 17 interceptions over the first three years of his career for a unit that has become a force when causing turnovers.
“When you look at our defense as a whole, when you lead the league in a category — particularly in takeaways as we’ve had the last two years — and you look at the history of this league, and what that represents, he’s a big part of that,” McCarthy said.
Dallas traded for veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore this offseason, adding another formidable player to the back end of the defense. While he can clearly impact Diggs and the rest of the young secondary, McCarthy has noticed his impact on the entire team.
“You’re going to see it from Day 1,” the head coach remarked. “I remember when we signed him [Gilmore]. The next day in the weight room, those two were in there together working out…To bring that veteran leadership and presence, and obviously, the pelts that he has on the wall…you could see the impact that it had on the locker room, and it started Day One with Trevon.”
After being eliminated in the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers for the second consecutive year, the Cowboys made changes to their staff and personnel, amplifying high expectations for the upcoming season. That can add pressure to the situation, but McCarthy can see his team is hungry to take the next step.
“The biggest thing I want to get done is I want to get this training camp practice environment set, and that’s really a reflection of the confidence that I have of how we came out of the spring,” he told the media. “I didn’t feel like we really needed a whole lot of ‘Let’s get them ready to go.’ They’re ready to go.”
“I met with the leadership council last night, and this bunch is ready to get going,” McCarthy continued. “They know what we want to get done, it’s clear, and I think we all have more confidence [and] a better understanding of the things we need to work on. But at the end of the day, you still start at the first step. You can’t skip steps.”
***
EXTRA POINTS
— Defensive back Jourdan Lewis will begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, while rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker will start on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list.
–Safety Donovan Wilson left Wednesday’s practice on a cart after suffering an injury. The NFL Network reports he will have x-rays on his calf.
— The New York Jets have restructured the contract of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
— The New York Giants have signed offensive tackle Andrew Thomas to a contract extension, setting a record for guaranteed earnings for an offensive lineman.
— Orlando’s Camping World Stadium has been announced as the host for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.
