Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Day 2 Notes: Javonte Williams is being asked to do something he didn’t do enough of last year and more – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports
The Cowboys offense has shined through two training camp practices.
Javonte Williams as a pass catcher changes things
There has been a clear focus by the Cowboys in these first couple of practices to develop the screen game, and that could be huge for the offense.
Granted, screens can get predictable if you go about them the wrong way. Cowboys fans, media, and content creators know that all too well from years past. However, it has been a long time since running backs posed a legitimate threat in Dallas’
passing game, and that might change in 2026.
The Cowboys are trying to get Williams more involved as a receiver. One play stood out from Thursday’s practice: Dak Prescott found Williams on a screen, and safety Caleb Downs came crashing down as a blitzer. The full view wasn’t available, but it looked like Downs was caught off guard by the play.
Here’s the thing about Williams as a pass catcher: if he can contribute in the receiving game, the value you’re getting out of him goes up a notch. Last season, as good as Williams was running the ball, he was a non-factor through the air. Out of 51 running backs with minimum targets, Williams ranked dead last in EPA per target and dead last in yards per route run. His success rate came in 48th out of 51. He was essentially a checkdown catcher who gave you a completion but no damage after the catch.
Practice Points: Thursday’s quick observations – DallasCowboys.com
What stood out in Thursday’s practice?
OXNARD, Calif. – Back at it for Thursday’s Day 2 of training camp, the Cowboys put together another spirited practice — even without pads coming on.
The offense continued to make plenty of plays, much like it did on Wednesday, but the defense responded and helped even things out. This team entered camp relatively healthy, which makes every rep that much more important as players try to get on the field as much as possible.
Here are some quick observations from the Cowboys’ staff writers.
4-2-88: The middle of the field has been friendly grounds for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to connect over the years, and the same was true on Thursday’s practice. Lamb was open on several occasions, and Prescott found him each time, allowing Lamb to turn the corner and finish plays that would’ve gone for chunk gains. Prescott was also able to get Jonathan Mingo involved in the middle of the field for a big gain, as Mingo fights for a spot on the 53-man roster. – (Tommy Yarrish)
Adding Spice: After saying he’s feeling better than he did following his first foot surgery, Cowboys CB DaRon Bland had a strong practice highlighted by jumping a quick short route and breaking up a pass intended for Brevyn Spann-Ford. From there, you didn’t notice Bland too much, which is never a bad thing for defensive backs because it means they’re not getting picked on. Bland said Wednesday that his reps would be limited as he gets back into playing shape, but made the most of the work he saw on Thursday. – (Tommy Yarrish)
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott not shying away from setting lofty goals – Todd Archer, ESPN.com
Dak Prescott has his eyes set on the Super Bowl in 2026. Is he right for doing so?
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t afraid to let everybody know he carries big goals into 2026.
Prescott wore a vintage T-shirt from the Cowboys’ last Super Bowl appearance — Super Bowl XXX in 1995 — when the team arrived in Oxnard, California, for training camp Monday. And while working out with skill players in Park City, Utah, before camp, Prescott came up with the anacronym GOTI, which stands for Greatest Offense There Is.
“We want stuff in life a lot of times, but then when people start talking about it, you kind of hesitate. ‘Should I say that if they’re going to hold me to it?'” Prescott said. “Well, absolutely. Playing in this organization, being in it 10 years, going into year 11, I’m not going to shy away from it. When you don’t have it, it sucks when you don’t get to play for it. When you’re watching other teams play in the playoffs, there’s nothing worse than that. And so, yeah, I said I’d be the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys when I was 6 years old and said I’d be in the NFL, and I got here.
“A lot of things in my life, I said I’d do and I did it. And so why shy away from that now? Why shy away from asking people to hold me to the same standard that I believe that I can accomplish and this team can accomplish?”
Jaishawn Barham & 6 Surprise Dallas Cowboys Turning Heads Early at Training Camp – Josh Sanchez, SI.com
A look at a few surprises early in training camp.
Jaishawn Barham, Linebacker
Not enough great things can be said about third-rouond pick Jaishawn Barham. The former Michigan Wolverines star is a no-nonsense player whose physicality is jumping off of the screen, even without the team in pads.
He has also shown an incredible attention to detail. If Barham is not going through drills himself, he is getting up close and personal, paying attention to every word the coaches say.
Fans, media members, and even Brian Schottenheimer can’t help but turn their heads when Barham is taking reps.
CB DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel ‘feeling good’ at start of training camp – Brian Martin, Blogging the Boys
All eyes are on the cornerback room in the first week of training camp.
The Dallas Cowboys spent the entire offseason attempting to upgrade the roster from top to bottom, and by most accounts they’ve succeeded. There are a few positions that may still need to be addressed at some point, but maybe cornerback will not be one.
Dating back to December when DaRon Bland was placed on injured reserve, there’s been some concerns about his long-term future in Dallas. This is due to the injuries he sustained to his left foot that has required offseason surgery in consecutive years. No one quite knew how he would bounce back from surgery No. 2, but early reports definitely sound encouraging.
Seeing that No. 26 is the Cowboys most seasoned and proven CB on the entire roster, and someone who is expected to start, him already “feeling really good” right now and running with the first-team defense is amazing news. Now, he just needs to find a way to remain healthy and return to his 2023 form.
After two rather disappointing seasons, it’s easy to forget how well Bland played back in 2023. He was an All-Pro and set the NFL record for pick-sixes in a season with five, plus led the league in total interceptions with nine. That production ultimately led to the four-year, $92 million contract he signed in 2025.
Daily discussion question: Who is standing out to you so far from camp?
