Cowboys to Oxnard 2026: What to Watch for at Training Camp

Cowboys training camp starts July 28th in Oxnard, California, and I’m ready for the guessing and speculation about players and positions to start.

We’ve spent the entire offseason thinking about what we think the roster will look like, what players will start, who will break out this season, and what will a Christian Parker defense actually look like. Everything up to this point is just talk until the pads come on.

I don’t want everyone to lose their minds over every practice clip, either. Someone will catch an amazing pass over a practice squad player or camp body and start thinking that player is the second coming of Jerry Rice. Let’s pump the brakes right now.

There are bigger storylines to watch.

Will DeMarvion Overshown and Shavon Revel Jr. Look Like Themselves at Training Camp?

I haven’t heard anything to make me think these two will not be ready for training camp.

Overshown’s game depends on speed, reaction, and playing without hesitation. Will he be thinking about his knee while trying to chase down offensive players? We will know pretty quick.

I’ll be watching how quickly he closes, how his change of direction is, and how he responds after getting a few physical practices in.

Shavon Revel Jr. has similar issues, just at a different position.

We know a cornerback cannot play scared. I want to see how Revel plants his foot, turns, runs, and if he trusts his body with a receiver coming out of a break. If we see an aggressive Revel in press coverage and fighting with receivers, that will tell me more than a practice report.

As a Cowboys fan and watching what this defense went through last season, two great players don’t just need to be available, I want to see them being explosive.

The Running Back Two Job Is Wide Open at Training Camp

Javonte Williams enters training camp as the unrivaled number one back and that was solidified with statements from Will McClay. Even without Will McClay’s comment, I don’t think anyone was going to argue who the lead dog is.

The real battle will be behind him.

As we all know, and I have heavily talked about in the past, Jaydon Blue has speed on top of speed. This guy has the attributes to be the home run hitter on the ground. Blue’s biggest issue last season was maturity and I think that has been fixed.

Phil Mafah is the opposite of Blue. He’s big, real big, and plays with force and a blatant disregard for defensive players safety and I like it. This could be the guy who helps solve our red zone woes.

Malik Davis came on strong at the end of the season and should not be counted out. Yes, he has bounced around on a few teams, but seemed to put it all together at the end of 2025. He’s not great at anything, but seemed to be good at just about everything. Sounds like a RB2.

The two other running backs headed into training camp are Israel Abanikanda and rookie Dominic Richardson.

Israel is a player the Cowboys liked coming out of the University of Pittsburgh in 2023. He is a speedy back who broke Tony Dorsett’s single-game rushing record while at Pitt.

The Linebacker Room Is a Big Question Mark

Outside DeMarvion Overshown, I don’t know how this one will sort itself out.

We have Dee Winters, Jaishawn Barham, Shemar James, and Justin Barron and I think they all have a chance to earn snaps, but who will take the lions share?

I like having options, but someone has to be the starter and, at this point, it’s a crap shoot.

The biggest hitter in practice won’t decide this competition.

I’ll be paying attention to who can get players lined up and doesn’t get caught out of position. You can have the most athletic linebackers in the NFL, but if they are running in the wrong direction, they’re not much help. I’m looking at you, Kenneth Murray Jr.

Out of this group, I like the rookie Barham because of his position flex. He can be moved all around the formation and into the defensive line. Training camp will show if he’s ready for the big show and can help now. I think he is and can.

Christian Parker’s Defense Has to Show Us Something

I know we will see a vanilla defense for most of training camp, but I want to see how these players are responding in practice and against other players.

Do they understand the scheme and their assignments? Are they able to communicate effectively with one another and play as a team? Those are two things I will look for.

How much this offseason have we heard about this defense being able to disguise, move, and use player versatility to its advantage. It all sounds good from March through July, but what will it look like on the field?

I want to see if it works.

Other things to watch on defense at training camp: where will Caleb Downs line up? How often does the front change? Are defenders attacking, or are they standing around chasing butterflies like a teeball right fielder?

Like I said, I don’t expect Parker to show us the entire defense during open practice. That would be dumb, but the identity of the defense should be noticeable.

If the players look confused, that will be noticeable, and we could be in for a long season.

Oxnard Will Tell Us What Kind of Team We Have

Training camp won’t give us all the answers we are looking for.

Some players will be limited, veterans will get days off, coaches will hide parts of the playbook, and we will have a few players look great at training camp, but disappear in the preseason.

Still, I know Dallas has questions and so do the fans. We all want answers that aren’t just generic press conference talk.

Fans and I know this offense can outscore anyone in the NFL, but that isn’t where our worries lay.

The defense has to become the reason Dallas wins instead of the reason the season ends early.