After finally signing Dak Prescott to a multi-year deal, the Dallas Cowboys have a crucial training camp coming up if they want to have a successful season. When does it start, where will it be held, and are fans allowed to attend?
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With phase 3 of the 2021 NFL offseason set to wrap up on June 18th, teams are already looking forward to training camp. It is by far the most grueling and pivotal part of a team’s preparations.
Training camps often include busy days for players and coaches, sometimes with 2 practices a day, weight training, team meetings, and film sessions.
Per the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), no contact is permitted during the first 3 days of camp. Days 4 and 5 will see players at full speed in light equipment called “spiders and shells”, day 6 is a mandatory day off, and finally fully-padded practices start on the 7th day.
Along with the strenuous schedule, full-speed practices mean that both contact and non-contact injuries are very common. Regardless, training camp is mandatory for all players, unlike OTAs which are voluntary. If a player doesn’t show up, they risk getting cut by their team.
When Does Training Camp Start for the Dallas Cowboys?
For the first time in NFL history, there will be a unified start for training camp. 29 franchises will kick off their training camps on Tuesday, July 27th.
But the Cowboys and Steelers, who will play in the preseason Hall of Fame game, are allowed to begin training camp as early as July 21st. The Buccaneers will also be allowed to start training camp 3 days earlier on the 24th, as they play the season opener against Dallas on a Thursday night.
The #Cowboys and #Steelers can report as early as July 21 because of the hall of fame game. The #Bucs can report July 24 because of a Thursday opener. Players from the other 29 teams are required to report July 27, per the CBA.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 25, 2021
Where is the Cowboys Training Camp Being Held?
Normally, NFL teams are permitted to hold training camp at outside facilities to improve accessibility for fans, However last year, due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID pandemic, teams were instructed to conduct camp at their own training facilities.
The Dallas Cowboys will return to Oxnard, California, after missing out on the opportunity in 2020. The Cowboys have been hosting their training camp in Oxnard since the 2012 off-season.
Dallas Cowboys Training Camp Roster: Key Position Battles to Watch
As usual, teams will start camp with 90-man rosters. They must cut down to 85 players by August 17th and to 80 by August 24th, before settling on a final 53-man roster by August 31st.
Who will be playing linebacker for the defense will be intriguing. 10 overall pick Micah Parsons was a force in college last year and the Cowboys will hope his game translates well into the Pros. Parsons played first-string linebacker in minicamp and OTA’s and will in all likeliness be a day one starter.
But who will play alongside him is still in question. With just Vander Esch and Smith as returning contributors, the Cowboys signed Keabu Neal from Atlanta to convert him from strong safety to linebacker. Jaylon Smith had a pretty rough last season but was a stud in 2019 that earned him a Pro Bowl nod. The team also drafted Jabril Cox out of LSU, and his high upside could also grant him a few snaps across the season.
The Cowboys also seem keen on upgrading their defensive front. In order to do that they brought free agent DTs Brent Urban and Carlos Watkins and added a couple more via the NFL Draft in Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohana. These additions along with Trusten Hill and Neville Gallimore will make it real interesting to see who will come out on top
Will Fans Be Allowed to Attend Cardinals Training Camp?
The NFL is planning to have fans at all training camps, with fan events scheduled to start on July 31st. The NFL and the NFLPA continue to negotiate parameters for fan interactions.
Per the memo of the NFL and NFLPA’s agreement, “Fans will be permitted to attend Training Camp, provided that they are more than 20 feet away from Tier 1 staff, including players, at all times, and adhere to physical distancing requirements. Fans will not be permitted to interact with players at any time.”
So fans will be allowed at the Cowboys camp. The Cowboys will have a fan experience event scheduled for their training camp in Oxnard.
Also Read: Arizona Cardinals Training Camp 2021: Start Date, Location, Roster Battles, and Fan Policy
