The KSAT 12 Sports team will be in Oxnard, California, for the start of Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, reporting daily on air and online.
You can catch the team’s coverage daily on KSAT’s evening newscasts and at 7 p.m. CT on KSAT Sports Now, available on KSAT Plus, KSAT.com and KSAT’s YouTube channel.
To get you ready for camp, KSAT’s Larry Ramirez and Mary Rominger have 12 keys they’ll track closely from the West Coast:
1 — Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach
When talking with the Cowboys at offseason workouts at The Star in Frisco, they all mentioned the new “energy” Brian Schottenheimer is bringing to the team this season. The players love it and embrace it. Schottenheimer, nicknamed “Schotty,” said his goal is to build the greatest culture in professional sports.
He believes that starts with having strong relationships with his players, coaching staff and front office. His energy, both on and off the field, seems to have pumped new life into the organization. The Cowboys hope that helps deliver their first Super Bowl title since 1995.
2 — Dak Prescott and his health
Starting quarterback Dak Prescott said July 8, “I’m healthy as I’ll be. I’ll be full go for camp. I’m healthy, yeah.”
Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9 last year. He was an on-field participant for organized team activities this offseason. In April, he said he could play, if necessary, but there’s no need to rush back.
Prescott, 31, hasn’t been cleared for contact but believes that will happen before training camp begins July 22. He is entering the second year of his four-year, $240 million contract extension.
3 — Addition of George Pickens
In early May, the Cowboys made a big move by trading for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. After three seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickens fell out of favor with the Steelers due to recurring behavioral issues.
Pickens, a 2022 second-round draft pick, is very talented, which is why the Cowboys are taking a risk on him. Teaming him up with wideout CeeDee Lamb could produce one of the NFL’s most lethal combinations. Prescott said he hasn’t noticed any of the negative attitude connotations previously attached to Pickens. Pickens said a fresh start was needed.
4 — Running backs
The Cowboys’ running back situation is a key storyline heading into the 2025 season.
Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Hunter Luepke, Deuce Vaughn, Phil Mafah and Jaydon Blue make up the running back room.
Williams and Sanders are seen as favorites to win significant roles. The Cowboys drafted Blue and Mafah in the fifth and seventh rounds, respectively. A rotation is expected, rather than the Cowboys turning to a workhorse like they did in Ezekiel Elliott’s days. The team ranked 27th in rushing last season.
5 — Offensive line with three Tylers
Led by starting right tackle and Steele High School alum Terrence Steele, the Cowboys’ offensive line is undergoing a transition.
Zach Martin, a future Hall of Famer, retired, leaving a significant void to fill. Entering his sixth season, all with Dallas, Steele is now the veteran of the group.
Tyler Guyton is expected to start at left tackle. He struggled in his rookie season, and the Cowboys are counting on him to improve.
Tyler Smith is back at left guard and is considered one of the best at his position. Center Cooper Beebe returns after a promising rookie campaign. Rookie Tyler Booker will likely replace Martin at right guard. The three Tylers are seen as key pieces in the Cowboys’ O-line rebuild and development.
6 — State of the Cornerbacks
The Cowboys’ cornerback unit enters training camp with a great amount of potential, but also health-related question marks.
Trevon Diggs, an All-Pro ballhawk, and DaRon Bland, a rising star and pick-six machine, are a dynamic outside tandem when healthy, but both are recovering from 2024 injuries — Diggs from persistent knee issues and Bland from a stress fracture.
Rookie Shavon Revel Jr., a third-round steal, brings upside but is rehabbing a torn ACL, leaving his Week 1 readiness uncertain.
Kaiir Elam, acquired via trade, is looking for a fresh start after inconsistent play in Buffalo, while Caelen Carson and Jourdan Lewis give Dallas depth and versatility.
Training camp will answer some of the questions that surround one of the NFL’s best secondaries, which hinges on health.
7 — Matt Eberflus takes the reins of the Dallas defense
Matt Eberflus, the Dallas Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, brings a proven track record and a philosophy that could elevate a defense that struggled in 2024, finishing 28th in yards (355.2 per game) and 31st in points allowed (27.5 per game).
Eberflus, who previously served as the Cowboys’ linebackers coach (2011-17) and defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts (2018-21), has a history with his defenses consistently ranking among the NFL’s best in forcing turnovers, with his Colts teams finishing top-10 in takeaways four straight years and his 2023 Bears unit tying for the league lead with 22 interceptions.
His scheme prioritizes stopping the run, swarming to the ball, and limiting explosive plays, which aligns well with Dallas’ need to address their 2024 run defense woes (allowing 4.7 yards per carry). However, challenges remain: injuries to key players, such as Diggs, Bland, and DeMarvion Overshown, may delay their integration.
8 — Micah Parsons’ contract situation
Another year, another Cowboys’ contract controversy. Micah Parsons’ contract situation remains unresolved going into training camp, with the star pass-rusher secured for $21.3 million via his fifth-year option but seeking a record-breaking extension north of $41 million annually.
The four-time Pro Bowler said he will report to camp but may hold out of practices without a contract, and delays could inflate costs, given recent deals for Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt.
9 — Not Diggin’ the salary deduction
The Cowboys decided to reduce Trevon Diggs’ 2025 base salary by $500,000, dropping it from $9 million to $8.5 million, due to his failure to complete at least 84.375% of the team’s offseason workout program, as stipulated in his five-year, $97 million contract signed in 2023.
Diggs, rehabbing a surgically repaired left knee, did most of his recovery in Miami rather than at the team’s Frisco facility, prompting the enforcement of a de-escalator clause — the first known instance of Dallas applying such a penalty.
10 — Revel in excitement
Shavon Revel Jr., the Cowboys’ third-round pick (76th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft, enters training camp as a high-upside cornerback with the potential to reshape the team’s secondary.
Standing at 6-foot-3 with a combination of length, speed (4.40 40-yard dash), Revel’s pre-injury tape at East Carolina was impressive. Despite a 2024 ACL tear that truncated his final college season and dropped him from first-round projections, his surgery — performed by Cowboys team doctor Dan Cooper — has him on track for a full recovery by camp’s start.
Training camp will be crucial for him to make an immediate impact in his JUCO-to-NFL journey.
11 — Home sweet Oxnard
The Cowboys have a storied training camp history, with Oxnard, California, becoming a significant chapter since 2001.
The team first trained in California at California Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks from 1963 to 1989 under legendary coach Tom Landry, establishing a West Coast tradition.
After stints in Austin, Wichita Falls and San Antonio, the Cowboys returned to California, settling in Oxnard at the River Ridge Playing Fields.
Since 2001, Oxnard has hosted 19 training camps, with a consistent run. A five-year extension agreement ensures the Cowboys will continue training in Oxnard through 2030, with the team paying the city $75,000 annually.
12 — More Cowboys coverage from KSAT
In 2025, the KSAT 12 Sports team bid farewell to its 30-minute Sunday sports show, Instant Replay. However, the team has now shifted to a Monday through Friday sports show available on KSAT Plus and KSAT.com, meaning you’ll have more Cowboys training camp coverage available at your fingertips all week long.
Watch live on KSAT’s streaming platforms and watch replays of each episode on KSAT Sports Now on the KSAT YouTube channel.
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Great Job Mary Rominger, Larry Ramirez & the Team @ KSAT San Antonio Source link for sharing this story.
