Blogging The Boys
Here are some of the big takeaways from Tuesday night’s practice at The Star.
3 the Hard Way: George Pickens is not of this planet, it seems. You’re hard-pressed to escape a practice wherein he doesn’t generate a highlight of some sort, and the Cowboys’ return to Frisco was no different. Dak Prescott dropped back and unleashed a bullseye of a throw downfield that Pickens brought down over his shoulder, and the defender, at the sideline while keeping both feet inbounds with a falling toe tap. Whew. (- Patrik Walker)
Safety Blankets: From the first two plays of team period in Tuesday’s practice, the Cowboys safety duo of Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker made a statement. Wilson made back-to-back would be TFLs on run plays, getting to the outside to make a play and plugging up the middle too. Later on, Malik Hooker forced a fumble on Rivaldo Fairweather, recovered it and would’ve brought it back for a scoop and score in a real game setting. Brian Schottenheimer has praised the two of them over the course of camp, and they continue to show up. (- Tommy Yarrish)
Running back splits: In the first large team period of practice on Tuesday, the Cowboys ran 19 run plays on 53 total offensive snaps. The splits between the running backs went as follows: Javonte Williams – 6, Jaydon Blue – 4, Miles Sanders – 3, Deuce Vaughn – 3, Malik Davis – 2, Phil Mafah – 1
In a running back battle that’s a tight race going into the final preseason game, these reps in practice and Friday’s game against the Falcons are growing in importance. (- Tommy Yarrish)
Schoonmaker exits: The Cowboys were down another tight end for the end of Tuesday’s practice when Luke Schoonmaker left the field and went to the locker room room. The Cowboys didn’t have an official word on the third-year tight end but it did leave them shorthanded, especially with Brevyn Spann-Ford still banged up with an ankle injury. That gave plenty of extra reps to backups Princeton Fant, Rivaldo Fairweather and Tyler Neville, who got into an intense scuffle with Damone Clark and other members of the defense during a play in the team drills. (- Nick Eatman)
The Dallas Cowboys rookie running back from Texas is set to take the field for the first time this weekend.
Blue was a full participant and looked back to his usual self, and with no restrictions or limitations, also revealing he’s been medically cleared to take on the Falcons.
“Oh, I’m playing,” he said, an ear-to-ear grin accentuating his excitement.
It’ll be interesting to see how head coach and offensive play caller Brian Schottenheimer will determine his rotation of running backs on Friday, considering the...
