What a week it has been for the Dallas Cowboys, as they touched down in Oxnard, California for their 2016 training camp yesterday, looking to bring their team back into a positive light. Randy Gregory, and most recently Rolando McClain, have made this task more difficult than needed – but not here on Tweet Break!
In this week’s edition here on Inside The Star, I’ve decided to spotlight the hard working players that are ready to prepare in the intense summer heat for a successful 2016 campaign.
Cowboys team plane has landed in California pic.twitter.com/XtfOPblInd
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 28, 2016
I stay ready! https://t.co/2aLyzJLVh6
— Rico Gathers (@kinggatz2) July 23, 2016
#CuTTWork Getting ready for my first training camp. I ont know what to expect. I'm not worried⦠https://t.co/Ivor0VmNUr
— Rico Gathers (@kinggatz2) July 24, 2016
Perhaps no player at Cowboys’ training camp will face more of an uphill battle than Rico Gathers, who will simply be trying to reacquaint himself with the game of football after being drafted by Dallas out of Baylor University as a basketball player.
Gathers is looking forward to facing this challenge by working with a future Hall of Fame tight end in Jason Witten, but his roster spot will be challenged heavily by the likes of James Hanna, Gavin Escobar, and Geoff Swaim.
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. #Cowboys 88 Club talking football at Valley Ranch last month. I could sit there and listen to them for days. pic.twitter.com/RIz8m0XYSR
— πΌπππ ππππππππ (@MattThorntonNFL) July 26, 2016
Spooky. Valley Ranch is almost just a memory #allaboutthestar #ghosttown #everythingchanges https://t.co/T6DRj4tp7N
— Brad Sham (@Boys_Vox) July 26, 2016
While it is not directly related to training camp preparations, Dez Bryant is certainly in store to have a big summer, and it was awesome to see him hanging out with Michael Irvin and Drew Pearson at Valley Ranch.
Of course, the Cowboys’ Valley Ranch facilities won’t play a role in this year’s training camp, as the team will be ready to move into The Star once returning home from California. Brad Sham, the radio play-by-play voice of the Dallas Cowboys, shares one of the closing images from the iconic facility in his above tweet.
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https://twitter.com/MoClaiborne/status/758015394120552448
Speaking of Dez Bryant, the fiery wide receiver is ready to prove that he means a lot more to his team outside of Tony Romo and the offense. Elevating the play of others around you is truly a mark of a great player, and an expectation that Morris Claiborne will have for Bryant.
If this match up plays out, it should be a fascinating one, as Claiborne will be looking to build off of his 2015 success – which earned him a new one year contract with the Cowboys in 2016.
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https://twitter.com/ninjafast22/status/758346728458166272
https://twitter.com/RKRelentless/status/758339860813852672
When it comes to differing personalities found on the Cowboys’ roster, you may not find a better example then Lucky Whitehead and Ryan Russell. The always outspoken and energetic Whitehead took to Twitter to share his excitement for camp following his conditioning test, as did defensive end Ryan Russell, who is certainly an unknown player in the eyes of many fans and coaches.
Both players will be called upon to potentially fill big roles throughout training camp and into the regular season, as Whitehead will likely serve as the team’s primary kick and punt returner, and Russell will be looking to make the team feel a little better about the overall situation at defensive end.
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I know you're in a tough place @RandyGregory_4 ignore the words of those who dont undstnd your struggle. I got your back. Get better, man.
— Byron Jones (@TheByronJones) July 27, 2016
To conclude this edition of Tweet Break, I wanted to include this impressive tweet from Byron Jones. Not only will Jones be a player to watch closely at free safety this summer, but his tweet here shows the poise of a veteran for just a second year player.
Staff Writer RJ Ochoa wrote recently about the Cowboys failures when it comes to drafting players in the second round, Randy Gregory being one such example. At least Byron Jones, the team’s first round pick in 2015, can make Cowboys Nation feel good about some of our young defensive talent.
Thanks for checking out Tweet Break here at Inside The Star! By this time next week, the Twitter world will be full of awesome Dallas Cowboys 2016 training camp content! To send in some of your favorite tweets to be featured here, just tag me in them @ShoreSportsNJ or email links to Sean.Martin@InsideTheStar.com.
