3 takeaways from Day 2 of Cowboys minicamp

The Dallas Cowboys will have ups and downs between now and the regular season. Some practices will be positive, and some might have scary moments, like what happened on Wednesday with CeeDee Lamb.

Overall, the Cowboys are clicking on all cylinders. The defense is as advertised, and the offense is starting to find its groove. The best quote of the day came from Dak Prescott talking about the offense calling it “Texas Coast” instead of the West Coast offense.

There’s a different feel surrounding this team where everyone seems more locked in than ever under Mike McCarthy. Here are three of the biggest takeaways from the second day of minicamp.

The offense is finding its groove

An important question for the Cowboys is what will the offense look like with McCarthy calling plays now that Kellen Moore is no longer in the building? McCarthy did help with the offensive install when Moore was here but has a more significant say in making the offense in his vision, along with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. They appear to be making progress.

The highlight of the day came when Prescott hit wide receiver Brandin Cooks on a go route that ended in a 60-yard touchdown. No. 4 showed he still has the arm to throw it deep, and Cooks showed he still has the speed defenses need to gameplan for.

It’s not only the starters that have flashed when going against the defense. Jalen Tolbert has had a few touchdown receptions in the red zone, Simi Fehoko is taking another step forward, and the tight ends are building chemistry with Prescott.

The actual test for the offense won’t come until Week 1 against the New York Giants, but it’s hard not to get excited when you witness the new “Texas Coast” offense.

Mazi Smith is getting the attention of his teammates

Because of his size, it’s hard to miss Mazi Smith when he steps on a football field. Now that he’s been able to get some work in with the defensive front, no one is overlooking what he could mean for the team this season.

Johnathan Hankins came to Dallas in 2022 from the Las Vegas Raiders and established himself as a veteran presence in the locker room others would follow. He’s entering his 11th season as a pro, so he’s been around long enough to notice when a player is different compared to everyone else. His “giddiness” for working with Mazi Smith should give fans hope on what that could mean for the defensive line. Having Hankins, Smith, Lawrence, and Parsons as the front four could mean trouble for many teams.

Hankins’ willingness to mentor Mazi Smith should not go unnoticed because it could have a similar impact on his development like Jason Peters did with Tyler Smith. The old cliché is iron sharpens iron, but big Mazi Smith looks like he will be the anvil that forges others to be better around him.

Kelvin Joseph is making progress

Even though Kelvin Joseph was a second-round pick two seasons ago, his performance in training camp will likely determine his future with the Cowboys. The front office continues to add players at the cornerback position and is intrigued to see more from players like Israel Mukuamu, who played well in the playoffs.

That doesn’t leave many spots on the depth chart for Joseph if he can’t get on the field for more than just special teams. After yesterday, he might be on his way to changing the narrative.

There was buzz starting to form around Joseph at OTAs that he would be making a position switch, getting work in at safety and nickel corner. During minicamp, Joseph has taken reps in the slot to help in the absence of Jourdan Lewis trying to make his way back from the Lisfranc injury.

Joseph is entering his third year in the NFL, when many say players take the leap to become better and have a firm grasp on how to play their position. If McCarthy is talking about his instincts improving because of being in the slot, that adds the famous word of versatility to Joseph’s name, which will help his case for the 53-man roster.

Unfortunately for Joseph, he left practice with back tightness which could take him out of practice for the final day of minicamp. It’s still early in the offseason, so it could be precautionary to ensure he’s ready to compete in Oxnard.