It’s the first day back at work for much of the Cowboys roster.
Monday marked Day One of the team’s 2026 offseason workout program, although fans who are already eager for popping pads and tackling dummies will have to wait a while longer.
The Cowboys- like all the other NFL teams at this point of the calendar- are only in Phase One of the offseason program. That means no real football field work; only meetings, strength and conditioning workouts, and physical rehab will be taking place at The Star for now.
While those meetings may sound like a boring formality, they will be absolutely critical heading into this season for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his assembled staff of assistants. Monday will mark the first opportunity for Parker to begin implementing a 3-4 defensive scheme and transition away from the 4-3 the team has run in recent years.
And with new players like Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, P.J. Locke, Cobie Durant, and Otito Ogbonnia joining the fold for 2026, getting everyone on the same page early will be key to the unit’s success.
All attendance and participation is voluntary for Phase One, which lasts two weeks. A few Cowboys playmakers, though, have already gotten a head start away from the facility.
Quarterback Dak Prescott revealed last week that he and wide receiver George Pickens have been working together on their own. Pickens, embarking on his second season in Dallas but technically his first full offseason with the team, has reportedly been meeting Prescott at a local high school while the QB’s house- where he has a private practice field in the backyard- undergoes some renovations.
The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Pickens in February, giving the two sides until July 15 to hammer out a long-term deal. Until then, Pickens may elect not to show up for any official team activities.
But the front office was able to get another major piece of business done earlier Monday with the signing of kicker Brandon Aubrey to a record-setting four-year extension worth $7 million per season.
Another sign that things are slowly but surely cranking up in Frisco.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Back to Work: Cowboys begin voluntary offseason workouts
Reporting by Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
