DALLAS — The heat is turning up at training camp for the Dallas Cowboys with the pads finally coming on for practice. While it’s expected that guys like quarterback Dak Prescott and edge pass rusher Micah Parsons would shine when the real football began, there have been some surprises.
There will always be underdogs who outperform their expectations, but sometimes a team gets exactly what they anticipated, and it could still be an eye-opener. Here is a look at some of the Cowboys who are making an impression early in camp:
Tyler Guyton - LT
It might seem odd that a first-round pick would end up on the list of early standouts, but Guyton was considered a raw project when taken by Dallas in April, and it was predicted the rookie left tackle would need some time to adjust to the NFL. While there’s still work to do, Guyton has been a pleasant surprise early in camp, where he has acquitted himself well while getting work with the first team.
There have been several reps where Guyton has been superb in pass protection, and winning some battles against one of the league’s best pass rushers has been impressive to watch. Guyton’s footwork in particular has been impeccable, while his movement skills and the power in his hands are as advertised.
The young lineman didn’t start camp as the first-team LT, but Guyton has been turning heads and could end up being the starter when the regular season kicks off. The rapid development has been the talk of the Cowboys training camp thus far.
Royce Freeman - RB
Freeman is another veteran who is making a good impression. The Cowboys signed the former third-round pick this offseason to compete with running backs Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn for playing time. While it was expected that Elliott and Dowdle would be getting most of the carries, Freeman isn’t conceding anything and could be making a push for a bigger role.
Freeman might have entered camp as a bit of an afterthought, but the 28-year-old RB is making a case to be included on the roster. The Cowboys aren’t expected to keep more than four RBs – hybrid FB Hunter Leupke included – and it looks like Freeman is pushing to not only make the team but earn more playing time as well.
DeMarvion Overshown - LB
Linebacker was once thought of as a weak spot for Dallas’ defense this offseason, but that doesn’t look like the case early in training camp. Overshown is one of the defense players who is making an impression thus far, which is a bit of a surprise considering he’s coming off an ACL injury that caused him to miss his entire rookie year.
The second-year LB out of Texas is showing no ill effects from the injury and has put on the strength to be a force on defense. Mike McCarthy spoke highly about Overshown’s work early in camp. “His pace and energy and explosiveness, he had a really good day,” said Dallas’ head coach. “Frankly, we’re going to keep him off special teams today. I feel great about where he is.”
The Cowboys don’t want to push Overshown too much and having him skip work on special teams could be a sign that he’s expected to have a bigger role on the defense. Overshown has managed to improve despite not taking the field as a rookie and could have an impact in his sophomore season if he continues to impress. With Overshown making big strides, the LB spot looks to be in better shape than originally expected for new coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense.
Tyron Billy-Johnson - WR
The 28-year-old wide receiver has been with nine teams during his time in the NFL, but he’s making his strongest case to stick on a roster long-term. Billy-Johson has been one of the favorite targets early in camp and has routinely been making plays. Prescott found Billy-Johnson on a 4th-and-5 during one session and then the two hooked up on a deep touchdown pass during a separate drill. The connection with Billy-Johnson and whoever has been under center has been evident.
With All-Pro CeeDee Lamb holding out and not in camp, it’s forcing other wideouts to step up and Billy-Johnson is one of them taking advantage of his opportunity. Billy-Johnson was on the practice squad last year and does have some experience – 23 catches for 422 yards and three scores, most of which came with the Los Angeles Chargers – if he continues to make plays, he could make it difficult to keep him off the 53-man roster this season.
Every camp, there appears to be a receiver who makes an impression early but fizzles out as the summer wears on. Billy-Johnson is that receiver right now as he looks to keep his early momentum going into preseason games. As the results have been overwhelmingly positive, and with him being a veteran, there’s reason to believe that he could continue to push for a roster spot.
Which player do you think will be the biggest standout at Cowboys training camp this summer? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
