Cowboys Country

3 things to watch at Dallas Cowboys training camp Day 2 practice

The Dallas Cowboys continue training camp on Friday, July 26. Here are three key things to waych when the players take the field.

Josh Sanchez

Aug 1, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge playing fields.
Aug 1, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge playing fields. / Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Dallas Cowboys opened up training camp this week at the team's compound in Oxnard, California. The activities continue on Friday, July 26.

After an interesting opening day that featured a bizarre press conference from Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, and head coach Mike McCarthy (who looked like he rather would have been anywhere else), the players were able to hit the field.

There were some highs and some lows, and on Friday we get to do it all over again.

After Friday's afternoon practice, the team will hold an evening session, Oxnard Fan Night, with special performances, giveaways, photo ops, and autograph opportunities. But for now, let'sfocus on the afternoon open practice.

Here are three key things to watch for when the Cowboys return to the field on

Will the real QB2 please stand up?

Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, Trey Lance
Jun 4, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) and quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and quarterback Trey Lance (19) talk during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cooper Rush and Trey Lance are competing to be the primary backup behind Dak Prescott, but neither player was able to impress on Thursday.

Rush struggled with his accuracy at times and wasn't able to separate himself from the younger Lance, who is in his first full training camp with the Cowboys. You'd expect Rush to be more comfortable at this point, but it just wasn't the case.

Lance, meanwhile, had struggles of his own, but his biggest area for improvement is confidence. Lance was unwilling to unload the ball downfield, which he will need to do to truly showcase his talent for the staff.

Camp is just the warmup, however, because we will get a heavy dose of the duo in the preseason, but it'd be great to sense more of a fight from either guy.

Can Jalen Tolbert continue to put on a show?

Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
May 14, 2022; Frisco, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (18) goes through drills during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Jalen Tolbert was the standout performer of the day on Day 1, proving to have strong chemistry with Dak Prescott and making multiple catches, including arguably the Play of the Day.

Tolbert blew by DaRon Bland before making an impressive adjustment to come away with the ball near the goaline.

Prescott targeted Tolbert often, and he has a real opportunity to be a breakout player not just for the Cowboys, but in the league if he can lock down the WR3 spot.

Let's see if Tolbert can continue to set himself apart and bring the highlights.

Will Mazi Smith step up?

It is no secret that Mazi Smith struggled during his rookie season in Dallas, and offseason shoulder surgery had many wondering whether he would ever be able to perform at the level Dallas had hoped when he was selected in the first round of the 2023 draft.

The good news is Smith showed up to camp bigger and stronger than he was as a rookie.

According to Bryan Broaddus of 105.3 The Fan, Smith is coming into camp at 310 pounds, which is a vast improvement from the 293 pounds he weighed during his first season.

Smith was active in drills and showed a great pop out of his stance onto the sled. It was a positive sign that his shoulder seemed to be fully healed and was not a hinderance.

He got all of the first-team reps as the team's 1-tech, and will look to continue establishing himself as the main guy at the position.

The Cowboys will return to the field at 11:30 am local time for the Open Practice, with Oxnard Fan Night running from 4:00-6:00 pm.

--Enjoy More Cowboys News from Cowboys on SI-- 

Send Help: Ranking Dallas' weapons without CeeDee Lamb entering camp

Football Fun: Best Cowboys-themed fantasy football team names for 2024

Costly Choice: How much could CeeDee Lamb's holdout cost Dallas Cowboys star?

Camp News: 5 stories to watch when Dallas Cowboys open training camp

Cowgirls: Meet Kelcey Wetterberg: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader

Cowgirls: Meet Sophy Laufer: Star of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Netflix doc

Published
Josh Sanchez

JOSH SANCHEZ

Managing Editor: Cowboys SI - Contact: joshsanchez@gmail.com

Home/News