Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer slaps hands with his players as they move between drills during a mini-camp practice at The Star in Frisco, June 16, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
FRISCO — Cowboys coaches and players were presented with many inquiries over the course of this week’s three-day minicamp. A lot of them were fixated on specific players. While those questions were answered, they also came with a caveat: The real answers will come when the pads go on in training camp.
So let me offer that same caveat. Here are the things we learned from two minicamp practices, with more than five weeks until training camp begins and more than 80 days until the season kicks off.
Hope summers eternal
It’s an annual tradition. The offseason is a breeding ground for optimism in the NFL. Roster changes are exciting. Coaching switches always come with perceived improvement from the previous guy. The real evaluation system — the actual season — is still months away.
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And yet, there seems to be a different level of confidence around the Cowboys’ facility this year.
“I mean, I’m very confident,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer. “I love our roster.”
There are reasons to believe Schottenheimer’s confidence is genuine. Especially on defense.
A big reason: The Cowboys couldn’t get much worse than where they were a year ago. Matt Eberflus’ one-and-done tenure as the team’s defensive coordinator yielded a defense that was the worst in 2025 and one of the worst we’ve seen in recent years. The Cowboys not only overhauled their coaching staff on defense, but much of their personnel. They allocated free agent money and draft capital into finding players for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
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It’s early, but so far the reviews have been encouraging. The Cowboys’ offense has been bullish on the challenge presented by the defense in practice, whether it’s quarterback Dak Prescott or star receiver CeeDee Lamb. Fellow receiver Ryan Flournoy even noted that they scored a lot against the defense in minicamp last year. This time, it’s been a different story.
On the flip side, the Cowboys brought back a top-five offense from a year ago. If the Cowboys’ defense can improve under a first-year defensive coordinator, and if their offense can play as well as it did a year ago, and most important, they can stay relatively healthy, then they should be optimistic.
“I feel very, very confident and believe that we’re gonna find a way to be in that game,” Schottenheimer said, alluding to the Super Bowl, “and win it.”
No voluntary, no problem?
George Pickens was fantastic in his first season with the Cowboys, finishing with a career high in catches, yards and receiving touchdowns. That was despite some tardiness to meetings and even missing the team bus to the game in Las Vegas last year.
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So perhaps it’s no surprise that Pickens got a passing grade at minicamp despite missing all of Dallas’ voluntary offseason work.
“I will say this about George: When George came back, I was a little bit, not worried, but it was going to be interesting to see how much he remembers, because we made minor adjustments,” Schottenheimer said, “but he was on it, man. In all the mocks and the walkthroughs that we were doing. He was terrific.”
Pickens also said this week that he plans to participate in training camp and play on the franchise tag. In theory, there won’t be contract drama when the Cowboys are in the Oxnard for the first time in years. His presence and participation will also allow him to work in the slot and more in motion — something the Cowboys and Pickens want from their second year together.
The Cowboys have high hopes for Pickens heading into Year 2. Even though he didn’t participate in team drills, minicamp added credence for it.
No holding back
The Cowboys have a tradition where rookies have to earn the star on the side of the helmet. After watching this offseason so far, it’s almost surprising that rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs hasn’t already earned his.
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Instead of easing in Downs, they’ve thrown him into the fire. Downs was a constant in defensive personnel switches, moving from nickel corner — his projected starting spot — to safety with the team’s starting defense. Jalen Thompson and Malik Hooker, the projected starting safeties, were out of minicamp because of injuries, but even so, it’s hard not to see Downs being a Day 1 starter on this defense with the versatility to play multiple roles.
Downs earned that. The day after he was selected with the 11th overall pick he was asking Parker for the playbook. By the time the first rookie practices rolled around, fellow rookie Devin Moore said Downs already knew the playbook. The Cowboys haven’t shied away from lofty praise and high expectations for Downs. As Parker said this week, “he’s as advertised.”
Being thrown into the fire has also given Downs some good early experience. On Wednesday, for example, he lined up against Lamb in the slot. Lamb ran a quick out route that Downs undercut. Prescott threw a perfect pass high and outside and away from the reach of Downs, where Lamb could catch it. Tight end Jake Ferguson also had a reception against Downs in coverage.
There will undoubtedly be learning moments for Downs this season. The Cowboys won’t hesitate to let him experience those.
Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs (13) participates in a minicamp practice at The Star on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Frisco.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
Don’t forget the other first-round pick
Cowboys rookie outside linebacker Malachi Lawrence doesn’t mind being in the shadow as the “other” first-round pick in Dallas. He said that’s a comfortable place for him, dating to college, or even during the draft process, as he rose in public opinion to eventually becoming a first-round pick.
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“It really doesn’t phase me,” Lawrence said.
And while Downs has earned a lot of the hype he’s received, Lawrence has earned some recognition, too. Lawrence and Rashan Gary were the team’s first outside linebackers on the first team defensive snap of minicamp.
It’s hard to truly evaluate pass rushers in minicamp because there are no pads and they want quarterbacks to be kept clean, but Lawrence’s speed was on display. That should be encouraging for Cowboys fans.
The biggest question about Lawrence heading into his rookie season is whether he can harness the 4.52 40-yard dash speed and the 1.59 10-yard split he showed at the combine. He didn’t always during his time in college. It looks like he’s starting to in the NFL with the help of outside linebacker coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and pass rush consultant B.T. Jordan.
“With the false stepping, I’ve seen great work, just hitting it every day and making it one of my key focuses so I can use my explosiveness to my advantage when getting off the ball,” Lawrence said.
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Who’s the true RB2?
The Cowboys, it appears, are already preparing for the long run with running back Javonte Williams. The Cowboys didn’t use Williams in team drills in minicamp. Just like last year, he probably won’t be a workhorse in training camp practices, either. That not only allows the Cowboys to keep him fresh, but it also allows them to get a closer look at their two second-year running backs, Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue.
Both bring different qualities. Mafah is a balanced bruiser who they believe could replicate a lot of what Williams can do, if needed. They believe Blue can be a difference maker. There’s a chance they aren’t competing against each other, per se, but rather trying to cement their own places in the backfield.
“There’s nothing that would make me and the offensive staff more ecstatic than for Jaydon to take the step we hope he takes, because of the one-two punch that he and Javonte could potentially have,” Schottenheimer said. “Jaydon’s ability to hurt you catching the ball out of the backfield, that’s a dimension that we — not didn’t have — didn’t do as much because we chose to throw the ball to CeeDee [Lamb], George [Pickens] and [Jake Ferguson] and guys like that. I do think it is different.”
The Cowboys also have a lot of trust in veteran Malik Davis.
We know Williams will get the brunt of the work this season. The others will likely get the brunt of the work before the season begins, however.
Earning a spot
Last year was an interesting season for Cowboys corner Shavon Revel. He spent the early part of his rookie season recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in college. The third-round pick — with first-round talent — eventually made his debut in November. He wore a brace for the entirety of his first season.
With Parker, defensive passing game coordinator Derrick Ansley, and defensive backs coach Ryan Smith, there’s optimism about the step Revel can take now that he’s out of the brace and he has a full offseason at his disposal. He’ll certainly have to earn a spot if he hopes to start, however.
For the majority of minicamp the starting outside corners were Caelen Carson and newcomer Cobie Durant. Revel and rookie corner Devin Moore mostly worked with the second team, though they eventually rotated in with the starters Wednesday. Revel had at least one pass breakup in coverage against Ryan Flournoy.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel (28) covers fellow corner Caelen Carson (21) during Organized Team Activity drill at The Star in Frisco, Texas, June 4, 2026.
Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys also have former All-Pro corner DaRon Bland waiting and working on the side as he comes back from offseason foot surgery.
If Revel wants to earn a starting spot he’ll have to show that he can be more than a press corner. It’s an area at which he thrives, thanks to his length and athleticism. The Cowboys hope he can develop this offseason with his off-ball skills.
Regardless, it should be an intriguing battle in the secondary during training camp to determine the starting outside corners.
Some quick thoughts
• We’ve talked about the left tackle competition being between Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas. Rookie Drew Shelton could be a dark horse, however. He had snaps with the second-team offense at left tackle while Thomas played right tackle. They likely want to train Shelton in multiple spots. It was at least noteworthy.
• It was just minicamp, but it wasn’t an exactly impressive showing from the two quarterbacks behind Prescott. Joe Milton and Sam Howell struggled Tuesday against a Cowboys’ defense that looked a lot more active. Howell had some completions through a tough wind Wednesday. The backup quarterback battle will be something to watch in camp.
• DeMarvion Overshown is one of a few guys that will have the chance to train with the green dot. Schottenheimer said he’s done a good job with it so far. He could have the inside track to earning it, along with a starting Mike spot next to newcomer Dee Winters.
• The Cowboys have really been impressed with newcomer Rashan Gary’s leadership. He, Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams might be the team’s biggest defensive leaders. Crazy enough: none of them were with the team in Oxnard a year ago.
• It’s hard to truly give awards for minicamp, but here are two:
My defensive MVP from camp was Cobie Durant. The Cowboys struggled mightily with forcing turnovers and getting their hands on balls a year ago. In fact, they were last in pass breakups — even behind a New York Jets team that had zero interceptions all season. Durant has seven interceptions and 26 pass breakups in his four-year career. He had a diving interception in OTAs in 7-on-7 and he had a diving pass breakup Tuesday, as well.
My offensive MVP is Ryan Flournoy. Not so much for what he did on the field during minicamp, but because of his increased confidence. He noted that he struggled in his first preseason game after he was a late-round pick from a small school just two years ago. Last year, he started very low on the depth chart. Now, he’s the team’s certified No. 3 receiver. He has an evident confidence about him this year. The Cowboys expect him to take the next step.
Oh, most important: Flournoy also won the team’s annual sharpshooting basketball competition, taking the title away from incumbent Sam Williams.