<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
OXNARD, Calif.\u00a0\u2014 The\u00a0Dallas Cowboys’<\/a> practice Sunday was probably their most competitive of training camp. The defense was swarming all over the place with pass breakups and run stops.<\/p>\n This is the type of defense coordinator Christian Parker wants to see. But as Sunday\u2019s session moved on, the offense picked it up to bring things to a stalemate.<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb catches a ball during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Fans watch from the stands during a Dallas Cowboys training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham works with a resistance band during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens catches a ball during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen blows a whistle during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tyler Johnson participates in a drill during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott takes off his helmet during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrus Wheat catches a ball during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Donovan Ezeiruaku (6) reacts to a play during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer reacts to a play during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Smith works with ropes during a training camp practice on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News 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.<\/p>\n Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n At one point during team drills, the three quarterbacks\u00a0\u2014 Dak Prescott, Sam Howell and Joe Milton\u00a0\u2014 were a combined 3-for-12 with one interception.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n There were run stops by Rashan Gary, Otito Ogbonnia, Sam Williams and Marist Liufau.<\/p>\n Receiver Camden Brown dropped a pass that was almost picked off by safety Julius Wood. A few plays later, Milton\u2019s first pass in team drills was picked off by Wood.<\/p>\n Defensive tackle Kelvin Gilliam and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown had sacks. Before the day was over, Gilliam finished with two sacks.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 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<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 9, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n 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.<\/p>\n Milton completed a pass to Ryan\u00a0Flournoy 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n This was the type of back-and-forth practice, with the normal trash talk, that the Cowboys expect this summer.<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely having a lot of back and forth this practice. You love it,\u201d cornerback DaRon Bland said. \u201cSo you love it with both sides, bring that energy and then keeps us getting good, better for both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n In the early portions of Saturday\u2019s practice, coach Brian Schottenheimer scolded the team for a lack of focus. He saw an improvement Saturday and it carried into Sunday\u2019s session.<\/p>\n \u201cI just felt like the energy was a little bit off,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cI felt like we broke stretch and [individuals] and went to a circuit drill and the coaches weren\u2019t as organized as I thought they should be. And so I\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n CeeDee Lamb looks to improve<\/p>\n Lamb admits this hasn\u2019t been a good training camp.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s also displayed why he\u2019s one of the more explosive players on the field by catching long passes and going over the middle to make plays<\/p>\n \u201cI love getting better,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s one thing about me, that\u2019s why you\u2019ll see here, I\u2019m not having my most amazing camp ever. But I\u2019ve gotten the best that I\u2019ve ever gotten out of all of my camps. The most this year, out of this camp. And that\u2019s just because of the growth that I\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n \u201cPractice 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\u2019m not afraid to fail. That\u2019s one thing about me. So I\u2019m going to go run this route and if I like it, I like it. If I don\u2019t, I don\u2019t. And then we move on.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Health updates and notes<\/p>\n Safety Jalen Thompson (hip) returned to practice after\u00a0missing the previous five sessions<\/a>. Thompson got work with the first team as he did before his injury.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The Cowboys were in full pads Sunday and are off Monday. The team will have a joint practice Tuesday against the Los Angeles Rams.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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