- Messages
- 78,785
- Reaction score
- 43,714
By David Helman
FOX Sports Dallas Cowboys Writer
OXNARD, Calif. – Well, that went by quickly.
No, training camp isn't over — not by a long shot. But in the blink of an eye, the bulk of the Cowboys' work out here on the West Coast is over. Tuesday's practice was the last fully padded effort for this year's stint in Oxnard. When the Cowboys return from Denver next week after playing the Broncos in their preseason opener on Saturday, they'll have one light practice at their hotel before they head down the road to work with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Surprise Star
He has been Public Enemy No. 1 among Cowboys fans for a while now, but check your pre-conceived biases at the door. Cornerback Anthony Brown has been one of the most consistent bright spots at this camp.
Actual Best Player In Camp
All due credit to my buddy Clarence Hill of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I tweeted Monday morning that Brown was the best player at this Cowboys' camp, and he called me on it.
Through two weeks, it's fair to give that nod to Micah Parsons, who looks like a guy who's about to pick up where he left off last year.
Mr. Rise To The Occasion
It's so easy to evaluate receiver play, it's really not fair to the other 80 players on the roster. If you can get open and catch the ball consistently, you're going to stand out.
But it also wouldn't be fair to ignore the work that Noah Brown has done out here. As per usual, Brown arrived to camp as the unsung depth guy, easily overlooked in favor of the younger, more exciting receivers on the team.
Mr. Welcome Back
It's been four long years since Brett Maher shocked the Cowboys' world by taking the kicker job from Dan Bailey, and now he's back. Such were the extent of the team's kicker woes that they waived rookie Jonathan Garibay and signed Maher in his place.
Most Fun Competition
I didn't spend a ton of time thinking about the backup quarterback competition when I first got here, and all of a sudden I find myself fascinated. Sounds a lot like what happened last year, when Cooper Rush took the job from Garrett Gilbert at the 11th hour.
Most Terrifying Competition
I just said some nice stuff about Brett Maher, but you'd still have to be a crazy person to feel good about the Cowboys' kicking situation.
On one hand there's Maher, who is a career 77% kicker and who has already been cut by this organization for failing to do the job. On the other hand there's Hajrullahu, who has attempted five NFL field goals.
Strongest Position Group(s)
I'll cheat, whatever. These awards are made up, anyway. Take your pick between the Cowboys' defensive line and secondary. They've both been pretty damn impressive.
Struggling Position Group(s)
Let's not waste a ton of words on the receivers. CeeDee Lamb and Noah Brown are this team's only healthy receivers with NFL experience. Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston and T.J. Vasher have all had strong starts to camp, but is that enough?
Best Newcomers
Through two weeks, it certainly looks like this team is going to get some contributions from its big-ticket rookies.
There's plenty to be said about all the new guys in camp. But for the purpose of immediate impact, it feels important to highlight the three Big-time Guys: Tyler Smith, Sam Williams and Jalen Tolbert.
More: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/n...es-micah-parsons-highlights-all-oxnard-awards
FOX Sports Dallas Cowboys Writer
OXNARD, Calif. – Well, that went by quickly.
No, training camp isn't over — not by a long shot. But in the blink of an eye, the bulk of the Cowboys' work out here on the West Coast is over. Tuesday's practice was the last fully padded effort for this year's stint in Oxnard. When the Cowboys return from Denver next week after playing the Broncos in their preseason opener on Saturday, they'll have one light practice at their hotel before they head down the road to work with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Surprise Star
He has been Public Enemy No. 1 among Cowboys fans for a while now, but check your pre-conceived biases at the door. Cornerback Anthony Brown has been one of the most consistent bright spots at this camp.
Actual Best Player In Camp
All due credit to my buddy Clarence Hill of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I tweeted Monday morning that Brown was the best player at this Cowboys' camp, and he called me on it.
Through two weeks, it's fair to give that nod to Micah Parsons, who looks like a guy who's about to pick up where he left off last year.
Mr. Rise To The Occasion
It's so easy to evaluate receiver play, it's really not fair to the other 80 players on the roster. If you can get open and catch the ball consistently, you're going to stand out.
But it also wouldn't be fair to ignore the work that Noah Brown has done out here. As per usual, Brown arrived to camp as the unsung depth guy, easily overlooked in favor of the younger, more exciting receivers on the team.
Mr. Welcome Back
It's been four long years since Brett Maher shocked the Cowboys' world by taking the kicker job from Dan Bailey, and now he's back. Such were the extent of the team's kicker woes that they waived rookie Jonathan Garibay and signed Maher in his place.
Most Fun Competition
I didn't spend a ton of time thinking about the backup quarterback competition when I first got here, and all of a sudden I find myself fascinated. Sounds a lot like what happened last year, when Cooper Rush took the job from Garrett Gilbert at the 11th hour.
Most Terrifying Competition
I just said some nice stuff about Brett Maher, but you'd still have to be a crazy person to feel good about the Cowboys' kicking situation.
On one hand there's Maher, who is a career 77% kicker and who has already been cut by this organization for failing to do the job. On the other hand there's Hajrullahu, who has attempted five NFL field goals.
Strongest Position Group(s)
I'll cheat, whatever. These awards are made up, anyway. Take your pick between the Cowboys' defensive line and secondary. They've both been pretty damn impressive.
Struggling Position Group(s)
Let's not waste a ton of words on the receivers. CeeDee Lamb and Noah Brown are this team's only healthy receivers with NFL experience. Simi Fehoko, Dennis Houston and T.J. Vasher have all had strong starts to camp, but is that enough?
Best Newcomers
Through two weeks, it certainly looks like this team is going to get some contributions from its big-ticket rookies.
There's plenty to be said about all the new guys in camp. But for the purpose of immediate impact, it feels important to highlight the three Big-time Guys: Tyler Smith, Sam Williams and Jalen Tolbert.
More: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/n...es-micah-parsons-highlights-all-oxnard-awards
