Cowboys Training Camp 2026: What to Watch as the Boys Head to Oxnard

Training camp is back, and after two straight years watching the playoffs from home, this Cowboys team has a different kind of energy heading into Oxnard. Here's everything Doomsday Legacy fans need to know before camp opens.

The Big Storyline: A Defense Under Reconstruction

This will be Christian Parker's first camp running the defense, and there's a lot riding on it. He steps in after the team moved on from Matt Eberflus — the third defensive coordinator change in as many years — inheriting a unit that finished dead last in the league a year ago. Parker and the front office didn't waste any time rebuilding: free agency brought in reinforcements at key spots, and the draft added Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, a player many are calling a generational talent. Add in First-team All-Pro tackle Quinnen Williams and three-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark up front, and this unit finally looks like it has the pieces to matter again.

Offense Looking to Pick Up Where It Left Off

On the other side of the ball, Dak Prescott and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer bring back a unit that was one of the best in the league last season. And the receiver room got a real boost of good news: Pro Bowl wideout George Pickens has confirmed he'll be at camp in full, no holdout, despite playing under the franchise tag this year.

Camp Schedule at a Glance

• July 27 — Team charter arrives in Oxnard

• July 29 — First practice of camp, open to fans

• August 1 — Opening Ceremony

• August 3 — First padded practice

• August 11 — Joint practice with the LA Rams

• August 15 — Preseason opener at Seattle

• August 18 — Joint practice with the New Orleans Saints

• August 22 — Preseason game at Arizona; team returns to Texas

• August 28 — Preseason finale at home vs. New Orleans

Two Stops This Summer

As always, the Cowboys will spend the bulk of camp out in Oxnard, California — 20 years running now — before wrapping things up back home at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco. Open practices in Oxnard are free for fans who want to make the trip, running from late July through the third week of August.

We'll be tracking every practice report, roster battle, and depth chart shakeup right here on the blog all camp long. Buckle up.