FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) - The Cowboys had their first of two practices at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Tuesday night, and there were plenty of things to take away from the padded work.
The team will work again on Wednesday, but here are some notes from yesterday’s evening practice:
*First round pick Tyler Smith was a notable absence from practice on Tuesday. Smith didn’t emerge from the locker until about a half hour after practice began, and when he finally arrived on the field he did so in shorts and without pads, merely observing the offensive line drills. Head coach Mike McCarthy hadn’t indicated Smith would miss practice when he spoke to the media on Tuesday, so there was some initial confusion. After practice, McCarthy told reporters outside the locker that Smith had sustained a minor ankle injury against the Chargers, but that it wasn’t serious. There’s no word on if Smith will participate on Wednesday.
*Tuesday was an encouraging day in terms of players returning from injuries. We saw rookie offensive tackle Matt Waletzko return to practice for the first time since the end of July, and get his first work in pads with the team. CeeDee Lamb, Noah Brown, and Jayron Kearse were also back participating after injuries had kept them out in recent days. Kearse saw the least amount of work of the three veterans, as the Cowboys seem to be easing him back in.
*Third round pick Jalen Tolbert has had his fair share of struggles since pads came on in Oxnard, and that has bled over into the first two preseason games, with some signs of trouble finishing catches in traffic. Tuesday appeared to be another rough day, with Tolbert dropping a pass in one-on-ones against Kelvin Joseph, but Tolbert bounced back in a big way during team period. Tolbert had several tough catches in congested areas, and receivers coach Robert Prince was often the first to greet him when he made a tough catch. Tuesday was probably the best day of practice that Tolbert has had in pads.
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*There were a couple of interesting notes about the personnel the Cowboys were using on defense. Anthony Barr saw a lot of action alongside Leighton Vander Esch, with Micah Parsons spending most of practice as a stand-up edge rusher. Barr looked good moving around, and made a couple of nice plays against the run. It doesn’t appear that Barr is here to be a part-time contributor.
*The other interesting personnel decision on the first team defense is who got the reps as the third corner with Jourdan Lewis nursing a hamstring injury. Fifth round pick DaRon Bland got all the reps with the first team when the Cowboys went into nickel. Even more interesting, Dan Quinn put Bland in the slot and left Anthony Brown on the outside. Putting a rookie in the slot with a very capable veteran like Brown on the field says a lot about the level of trust the coaches have in Bland.
*Micah Parsons was a game-wrecker during team period on Tuesday. If they allowed quarterbacks to be sacked at practice, Parsons very well may have had six or seven sacks on the day, and it came all across the offensive line. Parsons beat Terence Steele, Josh Ball, Zack Martin, and Tyron Smith at different points during practice.
*Speaking of Tyron Smith, Micah Parsons wasn’t the only one who got the better of Smith in pass protection. Dorance Armstrong and Tarell Basham also won a couple of reps. Armstrong in particular has had a few successes against Smith during training camp.
*Dalton Schultz told reporters this offseason that he’s added five or six pounds of muscle, and it appears to be showing up in his blocking. Schultz did a nice job sealing the edge on a few different run plays, holding his own against Micah Parsons and Chauncey Golston when blocking in-line. Schultz also had a big day catching the ball, running crisp routes across the field.
*The play of the day came in one-on-one drills with the receivers and defensive backs, as Simi Fehoko took off down the right sideline against DaRon Bland, giving a savvy jab at the end of the route to create some separation and dive for a 30+ yard reception. In the locker after practice, Fehoko had a golf-ball sized patch of fresh blood on his pants just below his knee that he said came from sliding to make the catch.