Blogging The Boys
Thursday brought the first training camp practice since the Cowboys’ joint practice with the Rams, one that largely saw them get beat up in several ways. That beating continued, even without the Rams present. Here’s the stock report from Thursday.
Stock up
DaRon Bland
With Trevon Diggs (and several other cornerbacks) going through injury issues, all eyes have been on DaRon Bland this offseason. Problem is, he hasn’t had much opportunity to do anything, as he left camp shortly after it started to welcome in his newborn son.
That made it all the more rewarding on Thursday when Bland was back on the field and looking his usual disruptive self.
Bland has garnered praise in the past for his interception abilities, but here he uses the patented Peanut Punch that has become a staple of the NFL, and is specifically preached by defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. The new defensive coordinator puts a premium on generating takeaways, which is why Bland could be in for a huge year.
Shemar James
When thinking about the linebacker corps in Dallas, rookie Shemar James hasn’t been discussed all that much. With DeMarvion Overshown still working back from his injury, Jack Sanborn and Kenneth Murray have been the two taking the most first-team reps, with Marist Liufau being next in line.
Still, James has had moments throughout camp already, with both Eberflus and Brian Schottenheimer mentioning him as someone who’s getting better each day. Thursday represented another step in the right direction for the rookie.
James is likely looking at a role on special teams this year, while providing valuable depth at linebacker, but it’s still encouraging to see how quickly he’s progressing in training camp.
Joe Milton
Joe Milton is expected to get a healthy amount of reps throughout the preseason, but the anticipation of seeing the rocket-armed quarterback in this Saturday’s preseason opener was put in jeopardy when Milton injured his thumb during Monday’s joint practice.
The good news is Milton was back out there on Thursday, and is expected to be good to go on Saturday. The even better news is he didn’t seem to miss a beat, either.
Milton hasn’t been perfect in camp – accuracy and timing still remains an issue – but he’s flashed plenty of times with his mobility and otherworldly arm strength. The fact that he looked unbothered Thursday is all fans could’ve hoped for before preseason kicks off.
Zion Childress
This isn’t the first time undrafted free agent Zion Childress has found his way onto the Stock Up portion of these lists, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll be the last. The former Kentucky star has been seeing more and more reps with the first team defense, and he just keeps making plays.
It was always a bit of a surprise to see Childress go undrafted, but his fast and physical style of play in college made him a natural fit for Matt Eberflus. Now, he’s proving exactly why the Cowboys rushed to sign him.
**Stock...
