The Dallas Cowboys concluded the Oxnard, California portion of training camp on Tuesday in preparation for a pair of joint practice sessions with this week’s opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams will compete in a scrimmage game off-the-books on Thursday before playing on Saturday evening. The Cowboys will then return to Frisco for the final weeks of the offseason.
All 32 National Football League teams have already begun roster reductions in accordance with league rules. Teams are allowed 85 players at this stage, though the Cowboys currently are carrying 86 players due to an allowance for offensive linesman Isaac Alarcon through the International Pathway Program.
Five players were cut on Tuesday, though the reductions were not of any surprise. Defensive tackle Austin Faoliu, cornerback Kyron Brown, tight end Ian Bunting, fullback Ryan Nall and wide receiver Ty Fryfogle were the players waived by Dallas this week.
While those five players failed to show that they could make the cut, 32 other players are still grinding it out in an attempt to land a job with America’s Team. Among the hopefuls, Sam Williams and Markquese Bell are two players that have stood out in camp. Williams was drafted 56th overall while Bell signed as an undrafted free agent rookie.
Williams, a defensive end who played for Northeast Mississippi and Ole Miss in college, “has jumped out” in camp, according to Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Williams is anticipated to earn significant playing time in Year 1, and he adds pass rushing potential to the defensive line.
As an undrafted player, the road to a roster spot is arguably more difficult for Bell, but coaches and players are already commenting that he “stands a good shot at making the roster,” according to Jones. Bell may offer depth at the safety position if his efforts in camp continue to impress.
Head coach Mike McCarthy has already ruled out the possibility that some fan-favorite starters will see action during the first two preseason games.
Quarterback Dak Prescott “will practice a lot,” McCarthy said, while running back Ezekiel Elliott, linebacker Micah Parsons, and many others will make way for the second and third-string players throughout much of the preseason games.
Part of the reason for the decision to sit stars comes back to injuries that can hinder the team early in the season. Already, the team has nearly lost fifth-round pick Matt Waletzco who suffered a shoulder injury in practice this week. Waletzco has decided to push off surgery with the hope of an opportunity to play this season.
The Chargers were one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2021 at stopping the run, an area of focus this offseason. For Dallas to succeed against the Chargers, the offensive line and running backs will need to perform as well as they did against the Denver Broncos in last week’s preseason game. The Cowboys’ backs rushed for a combined 141-yards on 28 carries.
On defense, the Cowboys defensive backs are likely to get plenty of work. Though Chargers starting QB Justin Herbert won’t be slinging the ball, the Chargers offense often focuses on aerial attacks downfield. The unit got beat several times last week against Denver and was responsible for several of the team’s most untimely penalty calls.
McCarthy has indicated that reducing penalties will be a goal for the team this season after the Cowboys led the NFL last season, primarily due to procedural penalties like false starts, lining up offsides, and holding calls. Dallas gave up 129 yards on 17 penalties last week, including several errors that ended promising drives and gave Denver do-over opportunities.
Dallas will play Los Angeles at 5 p.m. CT from SoFi Stadium in Southern California. The team will then return to Dallas to face the Seattle Seahawks in the third and final game of the preseason. The next round of roster cuts will occur on Tuesday following the second preseason game.