Latest news with #DakPrescott
New York Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Cowboys camp observations: CeeDee Lamb sounds motivated for big season
OXNARD, Calif. — No one is more excited to be at training camp than CeeDee Lamb. The Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver wasn't at the four-week California portion of last year's camp as he was holding out for a new contract. Following Wednesday's practice, Dallas' second of camp, Lamb sounded like a player extremely motivated to have a big year. He also looked the part during the team drill portion on the field. Advertisement 'I feel like the league knows what happens when I'm healthy and I have Dak (Prescott) for a whole season,' Lamb said. 'But, if you don't, I will happily show you what it's going to be like this year, honestly. I'm a dominant receiver. I don't like to speak highly of myself, but I can't wait to show you guys.' The Cowboys' defense, without top cornerback DaRon Bland while he attended the birth of his child, had very little success when Prescott looked Lamb's way Wednesday. This clip showcases some of what the four-time Pro Bowler put on display, including a new celebration with recently acquired wide receiver George Pickens. CeeDee Lamb 👀 — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 23, 2025 Here are some other highlights, observations and takeaways from the first two days of training camp. No pads and no tackling mean the offense should have the upper hand. But the defense has done an excellent job of knocking the ball out and causing turnovers. Second-year DE Marshawn Kneeland had the most notable takeaway so far, dropping into coverage to intercept Prescott in what could have been a pick six situation. Takeaways are a major emphasis under new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. So far, the fruits of their labor have been on display. Despite also being the offensive play caller, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has been thrilled with what he's seen from the defense in that area. 'I get excited,' he said. 'I'll put it out there right now. You guys know me, I don't mind making bold predictions, but I think we're going to be one of the top takeaway teams in the league on defense. Matt Eberflus and his staff have done an incredible job. If you watch their individuals and what they do, it's all what? Ball drills. But what I saw yesterday was great intentionality. We can't wrap up right now, we're kind of tagging off, but the intentional punch that these guys do and the focus and you see their eyes on the ball. Advertisement 'They're going to make us better offensively by doing it. … I'm excited about what this defense is going to do in terms of taking the ball away. Why does that excite you? It creates momentum and we obviously have to go out there and capitalize on that momentum. But my expectation is because it's the No. 1 thing we talk about in our football mantra, is we have to win the turnover battle.' Micah Parsons is the obvious leader of the edge rusher group. But even with him not participating because of his contract situation, there looks to be plenty of defensive end depth. Veteran Dante Fowler, rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku and Kneeland have all flashed at different times. Add to the mix Sam Williams, who many are expecting to have a breakout season. Watching Parsons throughout individual drills Wednesday, it seems pretty clear that he's not enjoying just being an observer. Micah Parsons watching defensive line drills — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 23, 2025 Injured defenders LB DeMarvion Overshown, CB Trevon Diggs, CB Shavon Revel Jr. and CB Josh Butler have all been working off to the side with athletic trainers during practice. Most eyes have been on Lamb and Pickens the first two days. There haven't been any major highlights, but those are likely when the pads come on Sunday. 'He's an incredible athlete, an incredible football player,' Lamb said of Pickens. 'His ability to go up and get the ball, you guys haven't seen it yet. But those days are literally coming. He's like a caged animal. And so am I.' Dak to George Pickens — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 22, 2025 Backup QB Joe Milton's arm strength and athleticism have been on display. With Prescott being in his 10th season, it's highly unlikely he will do much, if anything, during the preseason. That's when Milton will really get an opportunity to show off his arm and running ability, when needed. Cooper Rush was a more polished veteran backup, but Milton has a much higher upside. It should be fun to see how he progresses throughout camp and the preseason. Advertisement Javonte Williams has looked like the best of the running back group. Miles Sanders has also had impressive runs. However, it's tough to read too much into the position until everyone is in pads. Returner/wide receiver KaVontae Turpin has had several opportunities to carry the football and has also looked good in that area. Schottenheimer said he's working to prevent the offense from being 'static.' What has been on display so far are more pre-snap shifts and motions. There's also been more work with Prescott under center. When asked about that, Schottenheimer said there will still be plenty of quarterback work in shotgun and pistol formations, and even some wildcat. But look for more under-center snaps this season compared to previous years. KaVontae Turpin — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 22, 2025 Tight ends Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford both looked good in the passing game Wednesday. Each had multiple catches. As was the case throughout organized team activities and minicamp, the energy level is noticeable, especially with music blaring throughout practices. The celebrations after big plays have also been noticeable. These are things that Schottenheimer has clearly tried to emphasize since being hired as head coach in January. The crowds have been similar to last year, down from previous seasons. There are probably multiple contributing factors, from last year's disappointing season to the team's lack of playoff success and frustration with team owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Stands are pretty empty for the Dallas Cowboys' first training camp practice — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 22, 2025
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb out to remind the NFL of his dominance
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is considered among the top wide receivers in the NFL but after what could be considered a down season for his standard last year, he's ready to get back to dominance. Limited to just 15 games in the 2024 season, Lamb finished the year with 101 receptions, 1,194 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns, a big decrease from the previous year. In 2023, Lamb had the best season of his career, grabbing 135 receptions, 1,749 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the league's best at his position. While he was caught up in a contract controversy during training camp last season, Lamb enters this year with a set contract and the same can be said for his quarterback Dak Prescott, and the veteran receiver believes there will be a big payoff this season. Speaking to the media after training camp practice this week, Lamb told the team website that he is prepared to show that he's one of the league's most dominant receivers. "I feel like the league knows what happens when I'm healthy and I have Dak for a whole season," Lamb told "But if you don't, I will happily show you what it's going to be like this year. Honestly, I'm a dominant receiver. I don't like to speak highly of myself, but I can't wait to show you guys." Coming in with no contract concerns and a clean bill of health, Lamb's confidence is apparent as he prepares for the 2025 season. He'll have plenty of chemistry with Prescott, but they'll work under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer who is in first season with the team.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oxnard Observations: Cowboys first two days from camp offer intriguing possibilities
Typically, nothing revalatory happens in the first week of training camp. It's a bunch of players walking through plays without pads, and not much to note as it's normally a continuation of installation from the OTAs. That, however, was not the case for the Cowboys across the first two days of camp. The changes under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer have been noticeable. "We're gonna be multiple. We're gonna be under center. We're gonna be in shotgun. We're gonna run the pistol. We're gonna run some wildcat. We're gonna be very difficult to defend." Following Monday's practice, content creator Voch Lombardi spoke about how the team utilized motion and shifts in 90% of plays, and employed play-action with quarterback Dak Prescott under center much more frequently than under former head coach Mike McCarthy. KaVontae Turpin has already shown his versatility on offense on Tuesday. Lined up as a running back, he took his first touch for a big play that would've gone for a touchdown in an actual game. He was also thrown a wide receiver quick screen and connected on a deep ball down the sideline. Also on Tuesday, second-year defensive end Marshawn Kneeland started in an impactful way. He had a sack and an interception off of quarterback Dak Prescott, and returned it for a touchdown. The tight end room has had a mix of good and bad across the two days. They made plenty of plays in the opening days of camp, but were also part of the first scuffle in camp and had a drop. They made the entire room drop for pushups. Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford had big plays over the middle, and Spann-Ford had another big play during an off-script play. Jevonte Williams and Miles Sanders were with the first team at running back, with Jaydon Blue on the second team and Phil Mafah and Deuce Vaughn on the third team. It's hard to judge running backs when there's no pads on with no tackling, but the pecking orders become telling of the coaches' expectations. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Standout observations from the first two days of Cowboys training camp
USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oxnard Observations: Cowboys first two days from camp offer intriguing possibilities
Typically, nothing revalatory happens in the first week of training camp. It's a bunch of players walking through plays without pads, and not much to note as it's normally a continuation of installation from the OTAs. That, however, was not the case for the Cowboys across the first two days of camp. The changes under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer have been noticeable. "We're gonna be multiple. We're gonna be under center. We're gonna be in shotgun. We're gonna run the pistol. We're gonna run some wildcat. We're gonna be very difficult to defend." Following Monday's practice, content creator Voch Lombardi spoke about how the team utilized motion and shifts in 90% of plays, and employed play-action with quarterback Dak Prescott under center much more frequently than under former head coach Mike McCarthy. KaVontae Turpin has already shown his versatility on offense on Tuesday. Lined up as a running back, he took his first touch for a big play that would've gone for a touchdown in an actual game. He was also thrown a wide receiver quick screen and connected on a deep ball down the sideline. Also on Tuesday, second-year defensive end Marshawn Kneeland started in an impactful way. He had a sack and an interception off of quarterback Dak Prescott, and returned it for a touchdown. The tight end room has had a mix of good and bad across the two days. They made plenty of plays in the opening days of camp, but were also part of the first scuffle in camp and had a drop. They made the entire room drop for pushups. Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford had big plays over the middle, and Spann-Ford had another big play during an off-script play. Jevonte Williams and Miles Sanders were with the first team at running back, with Jaydon Blue on the second team and Phil Mafah and Deuce Vaughn on the third team. It's hard to judge running backs when there's no pads on with no tackling, but the pecking orders become telling of the coaches' expectations. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys have battles at both top and bottom of the tight end depth chart
The Dallas Cowboys are taking seven tight ends with them to training camp this weekend. They are a unique group, battling for space on the 53-man roster as each brings something different that the team can use on the field. There are big-bodied blocking options, run-after-catch guys, stretch-the-field threats; there's even someone who plays a lot of fullback. And while those at T=the bottom of this chart will battle to make the 53-man roster, the top spots aren't exactly settled either. Jake Ferguson didn't have the third-season leap many expected. Whether due to injuries, demands of the offense, or Dak Prescott's midseason departure, Ferguson had a down year in 2024. His success rate plummeted 15 percentage points, his yards-per-touch fell more than two yards, he fumbled four times, the firsts of his career, and he didn't score a single touchdown. If the offensive coaches are being honest about what they want the offense to be since their hiring, then Brevyn Spann-Ford has to be in play for the top tight end role. The coaches have spoken about wanting to control the line of scrimmage, and Spann-Ford is nearly 6-foot-8 and 280 pounds. He is an undersized offensive tackle who can move well enough to be a chain mover in the passing game. He played 305 offensive snaps last year and only received 14 targets, but Prescott is good when working with tight ends. Blake Jarwin played well with him before injuries, and Prescott has had great seasons with Jason Witten, Schultz, and Ferguson. Spann-Ford could be the next breakout tight end in the Prescott era. Luke Schoonmaker won't be the top guy in the room, but he will battle for the second-most snaps at the position. He had an underrated sophomore campaign, more than tripling his receptions and yards from his rookie year despite only having 43 more snaps on offense. He improved his success rate by over 15% and his catch percentage went up by over 20%. Schoonmaker aims to replicate Schultz's third-year breakout. Princeton Fant, John Stephens Jr., Rivaldo Fairweather, and Tyler Neville could all be battling for a final spot on the 53-man roster, and each will get a fair shot at it. Fant leads the way because he has experience being both a tight end and a backup fullback, plus he played in 64% of the special teams snaps last year. Stephens Jr. would've made the team in 2024 as a stretch weapon at the position before his season ended for the second-straight year with an ACL injury. He might now be outside looking in at Fant, or one of the two undrafted free agents (UDFA) the Cowboys have more contract control over going forward. Fairweather would look to do the same job of stretch tight end as Stephens Jr. He averaged over 15 yards per reception in his first three seasons at Florida International and scored six touchdowns in his first season after transferring to Auburn. Neville has a great story as a cancer survivor who became a team leader at Virginia. He is more like a large receiver than a tight end at the NFL level, but he would make the team with his abilities on special teams and his locker room presence. This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys have battles at both top, bottom of the tight end depth chart
