The Dallas Cowboys have one of the top offenses in the NFL. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been wheeling and dealing to his top two targets CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, plus Ryan Flournoy continues to ascend. Tyler Guyton seems to be trending upward, and they’ve also seen some positive things from Javonte Williams, Jaydon Blue, and Phile Mafah in running game.
That was in shorts and helmets. On Monday, the Cowboys put the pads on for the first time, and things got spicy. One thing was clear during
practice, and it was that the defensive unit came out on a mission, because they were making plays left and right during team drills.
Let’s start with first-round safety Caleb Downs. What else is there to say? He’s quickly showing why he was such a sought-after draft pick back in April. Downs looked like he was shoot out of a cannon as he did a great job with run fits and making plays against the pass. Look for Downs to keep being lined up in the box, in the deep middle of the field, and close the edge. He’s going to be the chess piece of this defense under Christian Parker, and he’s only going to get better.
DeMarvion Overshown had to be salivating to get the pads on after another injury-plagued year in 2025. Much like Downs, Overshown was flying around and roaming on the second level on Monday, and he even had the biggest hit of the day on running back Hunter Luepke on a toss play. He even showed his prowess against the pass some, which isn’t surprising as a former safety. The skill set is undeniable when it comes to Overshown, and as long he remains healthy, this will be more of the same.
Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham had already been turning heads with his play in shorts and helmets during the first several practices. That continued on Monday as he and Overshown held down first-team reps at the linebacker spot. He looked very fluid and comfortable as he filled gaps against the run, and even beat All-Pro Tyler Smith on a rep that would have been a sack in a real game. He is undoubtedly making a huge statement early in camp that he will be on the field quite a bit in 2026. In fact, it could be more than people think.
Not to be forgotten, the Cowboys’ cornerbacks were the stars of the day. Shavon Revel had some very nice battles against Lamb, and even did a great job jamming him at the line of scrimmage once. Cobie Durant keeps making plays, and he snagged an interception on Prescott in the end zone. DaRon Bland, who is looking to prove he’s still worth the investment the Cowboys have in him, had a solid day as well, which included some very sticky coverage against George Pickens which led to a pass breakup. Also, rookie Devin Moore got a nice pass breakup versus Lamb, and had some words for him after the play.
It’ll be interesting to see what transpires on Tuesday in the second padded practice.
