Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said for the team to realize their expectations of the Greatest Offense There Is (GOTI), they must be better in the red zone. The Cowboys were 16th in red zone touchdown percentage last season.
The first week of Dallas Cowboys training camp has ended with a clear standout: quarterback Dak Prescott. The game has simply slowed down for him, and MVP talk should be real for Prescott in this offense. He remains the unquestioned star of the team.
Left tackle remains a huge concern for the Cowboys, which means Tyler Guyton. Despite the success of the offense last season, Prescott got sacked 31 times, fourth most in his career. Guyton and Nate Thomas struggled, but Prescott's ability to move in the pocket and avoid sacks kept the numbers from being worse.
Receiver CeeDee Lamb is on board with Prescott's GOTI nickname, and he's not resting on their laurels. Lamb said they want to be better and more explosive in 2026, starting with him staying healthy for a full season and the offense being better in the red zone. The Cowboys were 16th in red zone touchdown percentage last season.
Linebacker remains a position of focus for the Cowboys, with concerns about DeMarvion Overshown staying healthy for 17 games. Overshown is at his best at weakside linebacker, running sideline to sideline and blitzing off the edge. The Cowboys tried to trade for Jordyn Brooks from the Dolphins in the offseason.
Outside Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and rookie safety Caleb Downs, rookie third-round pick Jaishawn Barham has stirred up the most buzz through the first week of camp. He has been splitting some first-team reps with Dee Winters next to Overshown, and the Cowboys are impressed with his ability to quickly pick things up mentally.
Pass rush is still an issue for the Cowboys, with the team hoping for the best from Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku as edge rushers. The talk of trading for Maxx Crosby won't go away, and if they are going to make the move, the sooner the better.
Rookie safety Caleb Downs continues to draw praise for his attitude, demeanor, smarts, and performance. He will also be challenged to handle the twitchy slot receivers in the slot as the slot cornerback. CeeDee Lamb is baptizing him daily, and few receivers in the league are as good as Lamb.
Tight end Jak Ferguson won't increase his yards after catch in 2026. Those numbers are more a product of his route tree and what he is being asked to do rather than an inability to run down the field. Last season he was asked to chip and help out the tackles before releasing into a route, which means he caught the ball a lot with his back to the defense.
The first week of Dallas Cowboys training camp has set the stage for a season of high expectations. The team is looking to build on last season's success, but they know they must be better in the red zone to realize their expectations. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining the team's chances of making a deep playoff run.
Source: Yahoo Sports