News: BTB: Dallas Cowboys Training Camp 2016: Five Things To Watch For

[NewsBot]

With training camp upon us, what things are you looking forward to seeing the most?

Training camp is here! The first practice is tomorrow. This is a fun time for Cowboys fans as we finally get to see some football. There have been a lot of negative story lines as of late, and sure we can be critical of our team at times, but we all still bleed silver and blue. I’m a hater, I’m a homer, I’m a lover, I’m a sinner…I play my music in the sun. And as we get ready to sing to the tune of some exciting Cowboys training camp, what hot topics over the next several weeks do you hope will be music to our ears. Here are five things that I am most interested in as the team begins training camp.

Living On The Edge

There's somethin' wrong with the team today

I don't know what it is

Something's wrong with our guys...

We need pass rush in the biggest way

‘Cause they test dirty when they whiz

And it sure ain't no surprise...

Livin' on the edge
​

The Cowboys front office has been doing just that. The team has been holding on to the hope that their second-round picks at defensive end will get their act together and outperform their draft position. That won’t be happening anytime soon. With suspensions to the team’s top two edge rushers, the Cowboys are relying on some under-the-radar players to step up. I’m holding to the same proclamation I made several weeks ago – I don’t know who will emerge as the surprise edge rusher, but somebody will. Will it be Benson Mayowa? David Irving? Or can new draft pick, Charles Tapper turn some heads? We will find out soon.

Yackety Yak, Let’s Go Dak!

Take out the Weeden and Cassel

Because last season didn’t go so well

If you want this team to score

You can’t just roll with Kellen Moore

Yakety yak, let’s go Dak!
​

Next to the mystery of where the pass rush is going to come from, the most concerning issue is – how good are the Cowboys backup QBs? With Tony Romo seeing limited action in preseason, there will be plenty of chances to get a good look at Kellen Moore and Dak Prescott to demonstrate they can handle the job. We all got a taste of Moore last year. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. If Prescott can provide the team some good play over the next few weeks, it could give a lot of us fans hope.

Man In The Middle

I’m starting with the man in the middle

I’m asking him to make some plays

And with no Rolando it couldn’t be any clearer

If you wanna make the D a better place

Take a look at the depth, and then make a change
​

The Cowboys will not have Rolando McClain for at least 10 games so they will be looking for a replacement MIKE linebacker. Many of us are hoping third-year player Anthony Hitchens can reproduce his 2014 production. Speaking of 2014, Justin Durant is back and he can provide some nice veteran depth at the position, but will he be asked to do more? The team has some different options, but it will be interesting to see which player will be able to help out Sean Lee and keep the linebacker position stable?

Pick It Off

And to the Beckham over there with the hella funny hair

Won’t you come over, Jr., we pick, pick, pick


‘Cause Beckham’s gonna run, run, run, run, run

And Eli’s gonna throw, throw, throw, throw, throw

I’m just gonna pick, pick, pick, pick, pick

I pick it off, I pick it off
​

Orlando Scandrick is back. Morris Claiborne is healthy. Brandon Carr is cheaper. And Byron Jones is a free safety. These are all good things. The Cowboys don’t need all of these players to work out magnificently for them to have a good secondary, but if a couple of them do – it’s going to be great for the defense. Watching these defensive backs go at it in camp against the ultra-competitive Dez Bryant is going to be exiting. Dez likes to fight and will push the corners to their limits. It will bring out the best in these guys.

Super Zeke

He's all right; he's all right;

That pick's all right with me yeah.

He's a super Zeke, super Zeke
​

With great power comes great responsibility. As the team’s 2016 number-four-overall pick, the responsibility will be huge for Ezekiel Elliott. There will be some point in the season where Cowboys fans will all have a big sigh of relief as he explodes down the field. Then, and only then, will validation start setting in. Whether you prefer the Rick James or M.C. Hammer’s version, it shouldn’t matter. When Elliott gets in the second level – you can’t touch this.

Continue reading...