The Dallas Cowboys’ six-week run into the start of the regular season started for real on Tuesday as they hit the practice field for the start of fall camp in Oxnard, Calif.
They’ll be in California for three weeks before breaking shortly after their first preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 9.
Dallas has much to work on as it looks to improve on its 7-10 record from last season. Here are some issues to watch.
How do the Cowboys take to Brian Schottenheimer and the new staff?
In addition to the head coaching change, Dallas has a new set of coordinators in offensive coordinator Klayton Adams and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Worth noting, though, is that Schottenheimer will be the play caller.
Schottenheimer has never been a head coach, though he has been around coaching staffs his entire life as the son of coach Marty. While his hire was largely seen as uninspiring at the time, Schottenheimer drew strong reviews from the players after spring camps.
What will be interesting to see is how Dak Prescott is integrated back into the offense after missing much of last year to injury. He’s healthy now, but how many reps he gets is worth monitoring. Dallas is also working on a new backup in Joe Milton III, a second-year player with one game of experience, whom the Cowboys got via trade from New England.
What does Dallas do at running back?
This was the question last year, and the Cowboys’ failure to answer it adequately was one of the problems in the 7-10 season.
They are going with new names this year, as Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders are expected to receive most of the reps, and they could end up being a committee. Williams was a part-time starter the last three years in Denver, while Sanders was a part-time player last year in Carolina.
The wide assumption was that Dallas would address this position in the draft, which they didn’t get around to until the fifth round when they took Texas’ Jaydon Blue.
Who are the tackles?
With Tyron Smith retiring, there will be plenty of pressure on first-round draft pick Tyler Guyton to produce immediately.
On the right side, Dallas is looking for fifth-year pro Terence Steele to reprise his starting role from last season.
Will Micah Parsons get a new contract?
This seems to be a bigger issue with Parsons than it is with Jerry Jones, who took a shot at Parsons about his health issues that sidelined him last year.
Parsons has made his desire for a new contract clear, and it’s somewhat surprising that he reported to camp instead of holding out. An injury for him at this point would be devastating, and almost seems to be what Jones is angling for.
At any rate, camps often tend to be a time when these things get done, and it seems to come out of nowhere. This should be Dallas’ top priority.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dallas Cowboys training camp: Begins with new coach, list of questions to answer
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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