The Dallas Cowboys open their 2025 training camp with high hopes. Jerry Jones, Dak Prescott, and new coach Brian Schottenheimer face big questions.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
The familiar California sun greeted the Dallas Cowboys as they officially kicked off their 2025 training camp in Oxnard on Thursday. The air was thick with optimism, with owner Jerry Jones declaring the team has a 'great chance' at a championship run. But beneath the surface of a new season lies the familiar pressure, as first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer begins the tall task of molding a roster with both Super Bowl aspirations and significant roster holes to fill.
We got a great chance to put together a team here this year that could be where we would like for it to be.
Brian Schottenheimer's first address as head coach set a clear tone for camp: leadership and resilience. After a 2024 season that ended with a 12-5 record but was hampered by injuries, Schottenheimer emphasized the need for players to step up and overcome adversity. Owner Jerry Jones echoed the sentiment, expressing confidence in the team's offseason moves. For a team that won the NFC East last year, the standard is clear. The journey to build on that success, however, starts with navigating the challenges of the next few weeks in California.
You can't talk about the Cowboys' chances without talking about Dak Prescott's health. Jerry Jones made it a point to address the topic, acknowledging the quarterback's injury history while reassuring fans of the team's commitment to keeping him upright and effective for the entire season. In more definitively positive news, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, whose presence was sorely missed, received a positive update from doctors. His potential return to form would be a massive boost for the defense and adds to the early camp optimism.
While the quarterback position is solidified, the cornerback room is anything but. The coaching staff is spinning the lack of proven depth as a golden 'opportunity' for young and unproven talent to seize a significant role. This position battle is shaping up to be the most intense and crucial competition of the entire camp. Who will step up to secure the perimeter of the defense? The answer to that question could very well determine the ceiling of this year's team. Fans should keep a close eye on the secondary throughout the daily practices.
The quest for depth extends beyond the secondary. The 2025 draft class, featuring players like DL Justin Rogers, OL Nathan Thomas, and WR Ryan Flournoy, has reported for their first NFL camp with a clear mandate: compete. Early reports praised the front office's focus on adding value and depth along the lines, and now it's time for those rookies to prove they belong. From the first-year players to the undrafted free agents, the next few weeks in Oxnard will be a relentless audition to earn a coveted spot on the 53-man roster.
The foundation is being laid now, under the Oxnard sun. With daily practices running until August 13 and the first taste of live action coming in the preseason opener against the Rams on August 9, every rep matters. The Cowboys are the reigning NFC East champs, but the road back to the playoffs—and hopefully beyond—is a long one. The journey has officially begun.
