Day 8 of practice for the Dallas Cowboys has ended, and competition battles continue to elevate.
Today showcased how much rookie talent the Cowboys have on their roster and how much their play elevated the veterans.
Dallas Cowboys Day 8 Practice Report
Injury Updates
Despite tight end Luke Schoonmaker’s setback from the weekend, he was removed from the Non-Football Injury list after dealing with plantar fasciitis since OTAs and minicamp. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Schoonmaker will get the “workload capacity of a ramp-up.”
McCarthy also said that running back Ronald Jones would not be available to practice today. He is currently dealing with a groin injury.
A video tweeted by Michael Gehlken shows safety Markquese Bell limping off the field. According to Gehlken, Bell went to the medical tent with head athletic trainer Jim Maurer. However, reports say that Bell did later return to the field for practice.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had a rest day and did not participate in practice today while running back Tony Pollard was not at practice today due to personal reasons.
Star of the Show
Today’s star of the show was rookie tight end John Stephens Jr, an undrafted rookie who has kept eyes on him since padded practices began.
Stephens Jr. has a wide receiver background and showcased it throughout Monday’s practice.
He showed explosiveness and the ability to be a deep-field threat, which is currently lacking in the tight end room. Although his blocking needs to be polished, he could be the missing piece for the Cowboys’ tight end room.
He has been getting more reps with the starters, which is always a good insight into who the coaches could be talking about and wanting to see more from.
The final roster will likely have four tight end positions to fill. Jake Ferguson and Sean McKeon have had productive camps, showcasing the chemistry they built with Dak Prescott in the offseason. Peyton Hendershot started to find his stride last week, especially in the red zone.
Regardless, Stephens Jr. has added another level to this competition at the perfect time: preseason.
Highlights From the Day
- Brandon Aubrey is the last man standing after the Cowboys released Tristan Vizcaino.
- Nick Harris tweeted that Aubrey went 7 of 9 today. He missed from the 43 and 44-yard lines, which has been an area of concern for him during camp. Harris also noted that these kicks were wide, and the distance wasn’t the issue.
- Harris tweeted a video of Demarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler stopping Deuce Vaughn, which would have been a tackle for loss in a real-game scenario.
- Rico Dowdle continues to showcase his speed and physicality, bursting through holes with ease.
- Brock Hoffman got some reps with the starters at the right guard position.
- Vaughn got more returner reps today.
- Malik Hooker had a great pass breakup on Jalen Brooks.
- Leighton Vander Esch got more work on the edge, showing that the veteran is setting up his game even more this offseason.