The dark period is finally over. At long last, the 2026 Dallas Cowboys training camp is finally here. Players have reported to Oxnard, and Dallas will kick off camp with their first practice on Wednesday afternoon.
Before the craziness of training camp gets in full swing, we asked a few of our writers to answer some questions about what is to come in Oxnard. Let us know your answers to each question in the comments section!
1) The Cowboys player under the most pressure to perform at training camp is?
One Cool Customer
So much hinges on that left tackle spot that Tyler Guyton
is easily under the most pressure to perform. We’re hearing that he’s had a great offseason, but if that doesn’t translate onto the practice field, the Cowboys may need to pull the nuclear option and move Tyler Smith outside.
Danny Phantom
DeMarvion Overshown faces immense pressure as he enters the season fully healthy with green-dot defensive responsibilities. He must lead a heavily unproven group of linebacking castmates with almost zero room for error. The team expects him to anchor a total defensive revolution at the position despite these challenging circumstances.
Jess Haynie
It has to be Tyler Guyton, right? Year 3, former first-rounder, critical position, already called out as being in competition with Nate Thomas, and Drew Shelton now waiting in the wings. If he struggles, there will be immediate reaction and even panic.
Brian Martin
My answer is DeMarvion Overshown. As the expected starting MIKE LB, he really needs to prove he can stay healthy, especially considering the unproven depth behind him. He really needs to prove he can be an everyday starter to earn a contract extension from Dallas or someone else.
Matt Holleran
I’ll break the tie here and go with Tyler Guyton. The former first-round pick truly faces a make-or-break season this year. If the Cowboys want to be a legit Super Bowl contender, they absolutely need Guyton to be at least a league-average starting left tackle. We’ll find out if that seems like a real possibility here in Oxnard.
2) An underrated position battle to watch during training camp is?
One Cool Customer
I don’t know that it’s necessarily an underrated position, but the battle for the two outside corner starting jobs may be the most interesting in camp. You have Daron Bland, Shavon Revel, Cobie Durant, and possibly Caelon Carson, competing for two spots, because the nickel corner is already taken by Caleb Downs.
Danny Phantom
The outside linebacker spot represents a huge mystery and something to watch closely. The Cowboys possess several intriguing young options at the position, making the final depth chart anyone’s guess. You should specifically watch out for Sam “I Slam” Williams to quietly sneak up the pecking order.
Jess Haynie
The Cowboys Nation hype machine makes it hard for anything to go “underrated,” but one I find interesting is the bottom of the safety depth chart. We know Downs, Thompson, and Locke are making it. Hooker and Bell have experience, but a guy like Alijah Clark could threaten them thanks to special teams. If Dallas only keeps four safeties, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Hooker and Bell swept away by the scheme and regime change.
Brian Martin
With so many to choose from, I’m going to go with QB2 as the most underrated position battle. Joe Milton has the most upside, but Sam Howell has starting experience and has proven he can win games in the league. It’ll be interesting to see which QB Dallas prefers as this year’s backup.
Matt Holleran
There are plenty of options, but the backup quarterback battle will be something that many of us will be monitoring very closely throughout camp. With Dak Prescott’s every-other-year injury history, whoever wins the job between Joe Milton and Sam Howell may very well be forced to play meaningful snaps during the regular season.
3) What position group will be Dallas’ biggest weakness coming out of camp?
One Cool Customer
I don’t see how the Cowboys can go into the season without adding a swing tackle to the roster.
Danny Phantom
The cornerback position has the potential of being the biggest looming weakness for the roster. While the top of the depth chart features some solid names, the group lacks reliable overall depth. This group could quickly become a huge liability if any of the primary starters suffer any setbacks.
Jess Haynie
Injuries will probably answer that question more than anything, so TBD. But if everyone’s healthy, I’m going to say OLB. It’s probably too early to expect big things from Ezeiruaku or Lawrence, and Gary feels like a solid wingman but not a lead rusher. I think they will have solid depth with Houston and some combination of Williams, Snowden, Wheat, etc., but I just don’t know that this pack has an alpha in 2026.
Brian Martin
For me, linebacker is Dallas’ weakest position group heading into training camp. With Overshown’s injury history, I would love for the Cowboys to sign someone like Bobby Wagner, a veteran who brings much-needed experience and can start from the get-go if needed.
Matt Holleran
It’s hard to predict health, but even if everyone stays healthy, I’ll go with the linebacker group. Overshown and Winters are a solid duo, but Dallas lacks any depth behind those two at the position. I agree with Brian that bringing in a veteran would be a great move, but I just don’t see the Cowboys doing that at this point in time.
