It’s easy to see why the Cowboys keep coming back to Oxnard, Calif. for training camp. The weather is usually around 75 degrees and the Pacific Ocean is only a few miles away.
As for the media viewing experience, Dallas might have the best setup in the league, but I can’t crown it yet with this only being the third stop on my nine-team training camp tour.
From a close proximity to practice, I stood on the riser in front of the VIP section to watch wide receiver CeeDee Lamb make several highlight plays on Thursday. I also had the option of soaking in the sun over the counter perch or standing a few feet back to lean on the wall filled with shade.
My Cowboys roster rested on the countertop instead of being folded in my pocket—it’s the little things that matter. But I probably wouldn’t have needed to dig into my pocket often to learn names, because as mentioned, No. 88 was making most of the plays.
The 6'2" Lamb was easy to spot, but he wasn’t the only one standing out for a Cowboys team that’s expected to compete for a Super Bowl in 2023. Here’s what else I noticed during my stop near the California beach.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
Best play I saw: Quarterback Dak Prescott probably went to Lamb often for Thursday’s practice because the Cowboys’ talented defense applied pressure and had tight coverage for most of the day.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore had the play of the day, but I’m going to bend the rules because he technically didn’t complete the interception. Gilmore jumped in front of wide receiver Simi Fehoko to catch a pass from Prescott as he fell backwards to break up the play. The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year only kept one foot inbounds, preventing him from recording an interception.
Stephon Gilmore pic.twitter.com/TfGDBE0OX1
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 3, 2023
Star edge rusher Micah Parsons probably should have won this category for quickly beating his blocks, and he did an outstanding job Thursday of not touching Prescott.
Best thing I heard: Prescott and cornerback Trevon Diggs recently had a heated trash-talk exchange during practice, which went viral on social media. Both Cowboys standouts were asked about it Thursday.
“I love Dak to death,” Diggs said. “There’s nothing behind it. It’s just competitiveness, it’s football, it’s how we play, so it’s just practice. It’s what we do. We talk trash here and there, just keep it pushing.”
Diggs also had this to say to those who question whether he has respect for his quarterback: “Stay out the business. People don’t need to worry about what we got going on, our relationship, my relationship with my brother or how we operate. At the end of the day, it’s our team. Dak is the leader of the team.”
Here’s what Prescott said about the situation: “It’s honestly, one of those things that you realize not a lot of people have competed in very heated competitions, whether it’s with their family, whether it’s with their brother, a friend, their teammate.
“I really feel bad for some people that haven’t been in those moments and haven’t competed.”
The rookie who caught my eye: Like Lamb, rookie running back Deuce Vaughn was also easy to spot, but for different reasons.
Vaughn stands at 5'5" and 180 pounds, and he appeared shorter standing next to wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who’s not close to being the tallest player on the team at 5'10".
But Vaughn also stood out as a savvy playmaker, using his smaller frame to escape defenders. After catching a pass from Prescott, the sixth-round pick from Kansas State quickly evaded multiple defenders to make his way up the right sideline.
Vaughn has impressed many this summer in Oxnard, and not only is he on track to make the team, he might even crack the rotation come the regular season.
Veteran who caught my eye: No surprise here. Lamb might be on the verge of another dominant season with Prescott constantly looking in his direction, and Diggs can attest to that.
“I see a lot of growth in CeeDee,” Diggs said after practice. “I feel like he’s at the top of his game. Routes are looking very efficient, jump balls are getting way, way better. He’s going to have a big year.”
Nickname playlist: Informative public address announcer. I’m sure there was music played during my visit to Cowboys camp, and I only know because at one point I kept tapping the convenient counter to the sound of the beat. But most of the time, the speakers were being used by the public address announcer, who informed the crowd of which situation the Cowboys were about to conduct.
Phase 3: fourth-and-goal, ball on the 7-yard line, first team.
Music is always good, but I actually enjoyed this. A great way to keep track of what’s going on during practice.
