Tyler Smith on facing ‘top tier’ DTs in practice, position clarity and more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
Tyler Smith has enjoyed the early training camp battles with Quinnen Williams.
“I feel like things are going well,” [Tyler] Smith said. “Obviously, putting on the pads is just getting back into the physicality that the football season entails, but I feel like we’re off to a great start. Obviously, there are things to clean up, every day is not perfect, but I think we’re building towards what we’re trying to be.”
That doesn’t mean it’s been easy. Facing him on the other side of the line now are Quinnen
Williams and Kenny Clark, two veterans who have won Pro Bowls in their career and weren’t lining up across from Smith at camp last year. They did see each other in practice during the season, but battling in Oxnard is different.
“I feel like where we were at last year, I didn’t feel like we had as many live reps,” Smith said of facing Williams and Clark. “But definitely getting the training camp experience has definitely been better. I feel like it’s a whole different brand of physicality. We get way more good on good reps than we do during the season, because there’s not as much load management there. I feel like it’s really great work.”
Smith’s battles with Williams have been the ones that have drawn a lot of attention from on-lookers, as the pair are both among the best players at their position. From Smith’s perspective, the two are only getting better by playing one another.
“I think it’s great for me and great for him as a player,” Smith said. “I think just being able to go against somebody every day that’s going to push you to be your best and like, there is going to be times when you win. There’s going to be times when you lose. But ultimately what are you learning form that rep? What are you learning from those experiences? And that’s something even in year five, and he’s [year eight], that’s something that we’re both learning and both going through.”
‘Bash Brothers’ Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark are setting the tone at Cowboys training camp – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Cowboys might have the best defensive tackle duo in the NFL.
The first practice of training camp is not supposed to be physical. League rules even try to limit the physicality when the pads come on, let alone when they aren’t worn early. It’s hard to limit the inherent physicality of defensive tackles like Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, however.
Just ask starting center Cooper Beebe.
“The first couple of days, when you go against those dudes and, boom, you get a long arm to the chest with no pads, it definitely left some bruises for sure,” Beebe said.
Bruises will heal, but the benefits of working with two defensive tackles like Williams and Clark — the Bash Brothers for this Cowboys defensive line — should sustain. At least the Cowboys hope so.
The Cowboys have trumpeted the importance of Williams and Clark — two additions that weren’t here at training camp last year — to the team’s defense. The two have provided added benefits for the team’s offense, as well. Especially on the interior.
“They’re heavy in the middle,” Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith said, “and you know when you go against them you have to come with your business.”
That’s been evident in the first five days of practice. That’s especially true when you compare it to years past. Last year, the Cowboys had a defensive tackle group of former first-round pick Mazi Smith, veteran Solomon Thomas, Perrion Winfrey — a spring league standout who ultimately made the team — seventh-round pick Jay Toia and Osa Odighizuwa. Only Toia remains on the roster.
This year, the starting offensive line has mostly faced Williams, Clark, free agent acquisition Otito Ogbonnia and veteran Jonathan Bullard.
Two Cowboys starters limited in Tuesday’s practice; Ezeiruaku ejected for punch – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The hype around Jaishawn Barham continues to build in DeMarvion Overshown’s absence.
In Tuesday’s training camp practice for the Dallas Cowboys, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and offensive tackle Tyler Guyton were limited while dealing with soreness. Overshown had a lower body/leg issue while Guyton nursed elbow discomfort. Neither injury is considered concerning, but the team will manage the workload of each player as camp ramps up in the coming days.
Also in Tuesday’s practice, outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku was ejected for throwing a punch at offensive tackle Terence Steele. Per head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s policy, Ezeiruaku was thrown out of practice, as he was escorted out by a member of the front office.
In Overshown’s absence during the team period on Tuesday, Dee Winters and Jaishawn Barham were featured as the starting linebackers with the first-team unit, while Nate Thomas filled in for Guyton’s absence. It came just a few minutes after Schottenheimer had mentioned that Guyton would maintain his spot as the starting left tackle after Thomas’ slow start to training camp in what has been pinned as a position battle between the two players heading into Oxnard. Each player was slated to get a four-day rotation as the starter, but Guyton remains in place after the first four days.
“We talked to Nate and said that he needs to show us a little more consistent play to push for that. I know we had told you guys about the rotation,” Schottenheimer said. “Tyler will stay at left tackle. I’m excited to see how Nate handles that challenge, but Tyler is playing really, really well.”
Barham stepping in for Overshown is yet another feather in the rookie third-round pick’s cap early in training camp, as he has stacked together multiple strong practice performances.
“His ability to apply the things we’re coaching,” Schottenheimer said about what has stood out about Barham. “We’ve put him in some different spots, which is really cool. You see and know the physicality, but to know and apply it has been great.”
Packers’ Micah Parsons: Playing vs. Cowboys in Week 6 ‘realistic’ – Rob Demovsky, ESPN.com
When the schedule came out, it seemed inevitable Micah Parsons’ first game back would be against the Cowboys.
For a guy who said he’s not into timelines but rather coming back as strong as possible, Micah Parsons sounded optimistic about one thing: He likes his chances of playing in the Green Bay Packers‘ Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field.
“I think it’s very realistic,” Parsons said Tuesday.
He acknowledged, however, that there’s still work to be done in his rehab from last year’s torn ACL/meniscus injury sustained in Week 15.
“I wouldn’t say it’s not possible, but, at the same time, in these next 10 weeks — 10, 12 weeks from now on — we’ve got to do our part to make it possible,” Parsons said in his first session with reporters since training camp opened last week. “It’s not off the board, but we’ve got to put the work in.”
Parsons opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list and likely will remain with that designation when the regular season opens. That means he would miss at least the first four games of the season. However, a change in the PUP rule now allows players to begin practicing after just two regular-season weeks. In the past, players could not do so for the first four weeks of the season.
Given that the Packers rarely allow players coming off ACL injuries to practice earlier than nine months after surgery, Parsons isn’t likely to practice until late September. The Packers play the Chicago Bears in Week 5 (Oct. 4), followed by the Cowboys (Oct. 11).
The Packers were 9-3-1 when Parsons went down against the Denver Broncos, and they didn’t win another game the rest of the way. Parsons had 12.5 sacks and, according to ESPN Analytics, led the NFL with 64 quarterback pressures despite missing the final three games.
“I think when you come out of these situations, you’re either going to be better or you’re worse,” Parsons said. “And for me, I’ve done everything I possibly can to be better.”
That’s why Parsons said he has concentrated more on the kind of player he will be not how soon he can play.
“People are worried about the knee; they should be worried about how I’m going to play when I get back,” Parsons said. “The anger, the frustration, the things that I’m going to have to let out because of how long it’s been since I played.
“So I think that’s what people should really worry about. Like, how great is Micah going to be when he gets back? Not about when I get back, because that’s the short term. It’s about how great I’m going to be, how I can help my teammates, and how far we’re going to go into a playoff run.”
Daily discussion question: What have you changed your mind on the most so far throughout camp?
