OXNARD, Calif. -- Every day of Dallas Cowboys training camp we’ll offer up a wake-up call that offers a quick review of the previous day and a preview of the current day.
Today’s schedule: The Cowboys will have their first off day of camp before returning to practice on Tuesday. Their second off day comes on Friday as they try to maximize their work before the Aug. 7 preseason opener against the San Diego Chargers with their mandatory practice schedule.
More observations from Sunday’s practice:
On Saturday Jeremy Mincey learned how strong Tyron Smith’s hands were in a one-on-one pass rush drill in front of the entire team. On Sunday he got a little revenge, swatting Smith’s hands on an outside pass rush move to get to the quarterback in offensive line-defensive line drills. On the next rep, Mincey was able to use his power to back Smith up in the pocket.
Running back Lance Dunbar showed just how quick he was in space by leaving rookie linebacker Anthony Hitchens grasping for air in one-on-one drills.
After getting beat by Terrance Williams for a completion, Morris Claiborne heard this from secondary coach Jerome Henderson: Come on, got to be intense the whole day.”
Can Tony Romo still move? He was able to sprint away from George Selvie’s pressure in team drills to throw the ball away to live another day. It was the first time in two days Romo was forced from the pocket.
What I’m watching: It is the Cowboys first off day of training camp so it might be a movie.
Some of the players might be off to the movies as well.
The Cowboys have had just two days of full-padded practices but league rules require a day off and Jason Garrett is attempting to adjust the schedule correctly before they play the Chargers.
“Even with pads or no pads you’re still out here running around,” linebacker Bruce Carter said. “It’s still wear and tear on your body. Guys are going hard, so I think it’s a good idea. We had a ton of injuries last year going into the season, so I think it is a good thing.”
Rookie DeMarcus Lawrence will opt for the more veteran move of getting in the ice tub to rejuvenate his legs, but …
“I’m ready to go,” Lawrence said. “If coach tells me to go, I’m going.”
They said it: “It was good to see them out there in shoulder pads and football pads and looking like real football players and I think they competed the right way. I think if you look at a lot of the different competitive parts of practice it was really impressive. Not to say that it’s any good yet, because it’s not, but the approach is right and we’re going about it the right way and we have guys on this football team who love to play and love to compete against each other and that’s going to be good for everybody in the long run.” -- Jason Garrett on the Cowboys’ first practice in pads.