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Despite all the drama surrounding what the Cowboys will do at certain positions, they still have to practice. They were back on the practice field at The Star:
Cowboys practicing inside the Ford Center again today pic.twitter.com/MdZ8Khc7jb
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 23, 2018
.@TankLawrence and @thejaylonsmith reporting for #CowboysCamp. pic.twitter.com/aROiEr0Z5m
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 23, 2018
There were a few guys making their return to practice:
Jason Garrett said Deonte Thompson (Achilles) and Tavon Austin (hamstring) will begin to get involved more in practice, while Noah Brown (hamstring) will continue to rehab. Same for Leighton Vander Esch (groin)
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 23, 2018
Deonte Thompson, Tavon Austin, Cole Beasley all expected to do something in practice today. First time in a while for Thompson
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 23, 2018
Dak Prescott started off the one-on-ones with two big victories:
Cowboys doing 1v1’s for the first time in Texas.
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Dak Prescott starts it out with a beautiful deep ball for a TD to Terrance Williams, who beat Byron Jones on the go route. #cowboyswire
Dak again. Hooks up with KD Cannon on a 40-hard TD. Fought off Chido Awuzie on the coverage #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Why not a hat trick for QB1?
Dak, one more time from 40 yards. Lance Lenoir goes up over Donovan Olumba for a fantastic leaping TD #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Cowboys WR Lance Lenoir looking good in 1-on-1 individual drills here after a strong practice Tuesday that caught coach Jason Garrett's attention. He's closing in fast on that No. 6 WR job on the final roster.
— Brandon George (@DMN_George) August 23, 2018
Michael Gallup continues to impress with each practice:
Michael Gallup beats Anthony Brown in a 1-on-1, working him on a comeback. #CowboysCamp
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
A few more highlights from the compete drills:
Brother v. Brother
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
Jaylon Smith and Rod Smith square up in compete drill.
Rod runs an option route to the inside... Jaylon jams him, gets on his back hip, and undercuts him to knock the ball away.
Jaylon wins.#CowboysCamp #DallasCowboys
The linebackers were bottling up everything in practice today:
Cowboys' first-team run game struggling early on in team drills. Jaylon Smith, Sean Lee, Damien Wilson stopping everything at the line
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 23, 2018
Speaking linebackers, Jaylon Smith is going to be fantastic in this defense:
Jaylon Smith continues to flash in this practice. Drives hard to undercut Geoff Swaim on a checkdown, and knocks the ball away. He looks quick. He looks fast. He looks aggressive. #CowboysCamp
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
Randy Gregory was getting more reps with the first-team:
Randy Gregory getting reps with first-team nickel.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 23, 2018
As we've noted often, Randy Gregory is once again a major player in #Cowboys first-team defense. Then MORE DEs in WAVES. pic.twitter.com/2QSLGgnSyJ
— mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) August 23, 2018
First-team defense today: LDE-DeMarcus Lawrence, DT-Antwaun Woods, DT-Tyrone Crawford, RDE-Randy Gregory, WLB-Sean Lee, MLB-Jaylon Smith, CB-Anthony Brown, CB-Byron Jones, CB-Chidobe Awuzie, S-Jeff Heath, S-Kavon Frazier
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 23, 2018
The Cowboys offensive line was compromised today as Travis Frederick gets treatment, Zack Martin gets rest, and Tyron Smith gets a veteran day off:
We'll assume a rest day for Tyron, so #Cowboys O-line today in practice is Cam Fleming at LT, Connor Williams at LG, Joe Looney at C, Kadeem Edwards at RG and La'el Collins at RT.
— mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) August 23, 2018
It looks like Deonte Thompson and Tavon Austin will get more work than expected today:
Cowboys are now working in Tavon Austin and Deonte Thompson both into team drills after they didn't do any earlier. Good sign for both. Thompson is running out of time to show the coaches something as roster cuts loom.
— Brandon George (@DMN_George) August 23, 2018
We did have a practice scuffle today:
We had a scrum here with the offensive and defensive lines. We don't know who started it or finished it.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 23, 2018
The culprits have been found:
Training camp fight. Looked like Tyrone Crawford and Kadeem Edwards venting their frustrations #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Could we finally see Deonte Thompson in a preseason game:
Deonte Thompson is doing some 7v7 today, in addition to the individuals. Seems like a good sign going into the last week of the preseason #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Deonte Thompson makes a nice sideline grab on a comeback. First time he's flashed today. #CowboysCamp
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
Rico Gathers got one back over Tyree Robinson:
Rico Gathers with a contested catch with Tyree Robinson all over him.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) August 23, 2018
.@kinggatz2 with the catch #CowboysCamp pic.twitter.com/sZlpx7v121
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 23, 2018
The Cowboys had a very intense compete period today:
Fantastic Compete Period between Connor Williams and Antwaun Woods. Williams won the first rep, and then Woods tossed him to the ground on the second. In the third rep, Williams buckled down and held Woods off in a really intense matchup #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Again, Michael Gallup is outstanding, bailing out his quarterback:
.@dak ➡️ @michael13gallup #CowboysCamp pic.twitter.com/maKJV33X4q
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 23, 2018
Play of the Day, for sure. Dak Prescott likely would’ve been sacked, but he uncorked a 30-hard ball to Michael Gallup, who leaped up over his coverage and readjusted to make a diving catch #cowboyswire
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
Michael Gallup just made the best catch I’ve seen from him yet, and the top 2-3 plays from anyone at camp. Jumped over Chido to make a 30-yard catch from Dak. #cowboyswire
— Nick Eatman (@nickeatman) August 23, 2018
— Jordan M. Brown (@Jombrow) August 23, 2018
Geoff Swaim getting involved:
3rd & Goal from the 4... #Cowboys run Zeke out of the formation to the left, and hit Geoff Swaim on an out route just short of the goalline. Jaylon Smith knocks him down at the one. #CowboysCamp
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
Could we see some different things for Ezekiel Elliott in the red zone?
#Cowboys Creativity with Zeke role in goal-line offense. Almost Le'Veon-esque, for real.
— mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) August 23, 2018
If you’re wondering why there is a lack of videos, it’s for good reason:
Media has to watch these practices from the press box inside Ford Center. It’s far enough away that cell phone videos would probably look like crap. Sorry y’all https://t.co/tIPoTvndu5
— David Helman (@HelmanDC) August 23, 2018
In goal line, the defense was making it tough to move the ball:
3rd & Goal from the 6... Kony Ealy gets pressure on Dak, forces him to roll to his right, and Dak throws it up and out of bounds, over Swaim's head in the right corner.#CowboysCamp
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
Eventually, Dak Prescott would get the ball in the end zone:
3rd & Goal from the 8... shotgun... Zeke to Dak's left... Prescott finds Cole Beasley falling down in the end zone over the middle, right in front of Kavon Frazier. #Cowboys offense scores one TD in their three 3rd & Goal attempts.#CowboysCamp
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) August 23, 2018
It was a rough day at practice for sure with so many guys that they are counting on not present. The Cowboys really just need to do whatever they can to get guys healthy over the next two weeks.
Post-practice prayer pic.twitter.com/uSAU9zL2bv
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 23, 2018