Dallas Cowboys defensive back P.J. Locke (1) intercepts a pass intended by wide receiver Ceedee Lamb (88) as defensive back Cobie Durant (2) defends during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys’ practice Sunday was probably their most competitive of training camp. The defense was swarming all over the place with pass breakups and run stops.
This is the type of defense coordinator Christian Parker wants to see. But as Sunday’s session moved on, the offense picked it up to bring things to a stalemate.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb catches a ball during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer slaps hands with defensive lineman Sam Williams during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive back Cobie Durant (2) tries to knock the ball away from defensive back Daron Bland during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Fans watch from the stands during a Dallas Cowboys training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham works with a resistance band during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens catches a ball during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen blows a whistle during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tyler Johnson participates in a drill during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott takes off his helmet during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker runs a drill alongside defensive back Jalen Thompson (34) during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrus Wheat catches a ball during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive back Caleb Downs (13) breaks up a pass intended for wide receiver Ceedee Lamb (88) in the end zone during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive linemen Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) and Rashan Gary (7) celebrate a after a defensive stop during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) makes a catch over defensive back Shavon Revel (28) during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) celebrates a catch past defensive back P.J. Locke (1) during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) reacts to a play during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys running back Phil Mafah (37) pushes into the end zone for a touchdown during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III (10) celebrates a touchdown run by Phil Mafah during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer reacts to a play during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman T.J. Bass (66) works against defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (92) as quarterback Dak Prescott takes a snap during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis (20) is hit by defensive back Alijah Clark (38) during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys defensive back Shavon Revel (28) celebrates after breaking up a pass during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Smith works with ropes during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Nick Leverett runs on the field with his son Nick, Jr., 2, as players mingle with their families following a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb smiles as he leaves the field following a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
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At one point during team drills, the three quarterbacks — Dak Prescott, Sam Howell and Joe Milton — were a combined 3-for-12 with one interception.
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There were run stops by Rashan Gary, Otito Ogbonnia, Sam Williams and Marist Liufau.
Receiver Camden Brown dropped a pass that was almost picked off by safety Julius Wood. A few plays later, Milton’s first pass in team drills was picked off by Wood.
Defensive tackle Kelvin Gilliam and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown had sacks. Before the day was over, Gilliam finished with two sacks.
Prescott threw two interceptions on the day. Safety P.J. Locke picked him off in the end zone. Even when the offense found some success, when Prescott completed a 20-yard plus pass to CeeDee Lamb, a penalty negated the play.
You could hear the defense yelling and screaming in the first 45 minutes or so of the practice session while the offense had to take it.
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Defense dominating the early portions of the practice today. Julius Wood with a pick of a Joe Milton pass. Lots of yelling from the defense. pic.twitter.com/M3Epca9oKg
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 9, 2026
But Prescott got things going after the Lamb completion was wiped out. He completed downfield throws to George Pickens and Jake Ferguson. Howell, who was getting snaps with the second team, found a groove, too.
Milton completed a pass to Ryan Flournoy for the first touchdown pass of the day. Jaydon Blue also picked up a touchdown run. Phil Mafah scored in a red zone drill on a run play and, of course, Pickens made a sliding touchdown catch in the back of the end zone.
When the afternoon was over, Prescott completed 8 of 14 passes with his last throw going for a touchdown to Lamb. Howell completed 7 of 15 passes and just missed Jonathan Mingo on a long throw down the field.
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Milton also picked up his numbers, going 4-for-7 with two scores, with one of his touchdown passes coming on a screen pass to newly signed running back Jashaun Corbin.
This was the type of back-and-forth practice, with the normal trash talk, that the Cowboys expect this summer.
“Definitely having a lot of back and forth this practice. You love it,” cornerback DaRon Bland said. “So you love it with both sides, bring that energy and then keeps us getting good, better for both sides.”
In the early portions of Saturday’s practice, coach Brian Schottenheimer scolded the team for a lack of focus. He saw an improvement Saturday and it carried into Sunday’s session.
“I just felt like the energy was a little bit off,” Schottenheimer said. “I felt like we broke stretch and [individuals] and went to a circuit drill and the coaches weren’t as organized as I thought they should be. And so I’m always going to point things out that I feel. And I think they got the message and ended up putting together a hell of a practice.”
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CeeDee Lamb looks to improve
Lamb admits this hasn’t been a good training camp.
Lamb dropped the first pass of camp in a team period. At times, Lamb looks a little frustrated with how things have gone. But he’s also displayed why he’s one of the more explosive players on the field by catching long passes and going over the middle to make plays
“I love getting better,” he said. “That’s one thing about me, that’s why you’ll see here, I’m not having my most amazing camp ever. But I’ve gotten the best that I’ve ever gotten out of all of my camps. The most this year, out of this camp. And that’s just because of the growth that I’m having of just mentally putting myself in position for the game. Whatever you see out here, this is us practicing. You guys just have the luxury of watching us.
“Practice is practice. Practice is going to always be high emotion, high energy, and then this is where guys fail. So things of that nature, I’m not afraid to fail. That’s one thing about me. So I’m going to go run this route and if I like it, I like it. If I don’t, I don’t. And then we move on.”
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Health updates and notes
Safety Jalen Thompson (hip) returned to practice after missing the previous five sessions. Thompson got work with the first team as he did before his injury.
Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling missed his first practice of camp with an undisclosed ailment. Cornerbacks Devin Moore (groin) and Zion Childress (hamstring), linebacker Jaishawn Barham (groin) and Jonathan Bullard (hamstring) also missed practice.
The Cowboys were in full pads Sunday and are off Monday. The team will have a joint practice Tuesday against the Los Angeles Rams.