Todd Archer, ESPN Staff WriterJul 24, 2023, 06:00 AM ET
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Todd Archer is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the Dallas Cowboys. Archer has covered the NFL since 1997 and Dallas since 2003. He joined ESPN in 2010. You can follow him on Twitter at @toddarcher.
The Dallas Cowboys open 2023 NFL training camp Monday at the River Ridge Residence Inn complex in Oxnard, California. Here’s a closer look at a few storylines:
Biggest question: What will the offense look like with coach Mike McCarthy now calling plays?
It might not be as different because McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer left most of the language the same in the offense for Prescott, with only subtle changes in definitions on certain routes. Prescott called it the “Texas Coast” offense, a blend of McCarthy’s West Coast background and the scheme the Cowboys have used since 2007.
McCarthy said Prescott did a good job of “owning” the offense in the offseason program, going over the things he likes and doesn’t like. As the Cowboys get to Oxnard, they have a foundation in place, and they will use the competitive portions of practice to hammer out the finer details before the games begin.
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Most impactful offseason addition: Stephon Gilmore, CB
You could make a case for veteran receiver Brandin Cooks or maybe first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith, but Gilmore gives the Cowboys one of the best corner tandems in the league alongside Trevon Diggs. Quarterbacks will not be able to just look opposite of Diggs because Gilmore can lock down his side of the field, too. He can also impact the pass rush with the ability to hold his coverage longer.
He remains one of the better playmaking corners in the league as he enters his 12th season. Gilmore brings a quiet confidence to a group that is filled with talent, and he might be the final piece to their ultimate success.
Most compelling position battle: Who will be the left guard?
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If the Cowboys go with their best-five approach, then it is Tyler Smith. He lined up there during the minicamp and looked like he has played there for years, even though he started 16 games at left tackle a year ago. If Tyler Smith is the left guard, then Tyron Smith and Terence Steele will be the left and right tackles, respectively. After returning from hamstring surgery last season, Tyron Smith played right tackle following Steele’s season-ending knee injury.
Tyron Smith, however, has played just 17 of 50 games since McCarthy became the coach. He has not been able to stay healthy, so Tyler Smith will need to be ready to move to left tackle at a moment’s notice, which would put Chuma Edoga and Matt Farniok in competition for the left guard spot.
Player with the most to prove: Michael Gallup, WR
In his return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Gallup never felt comfortable in 2022. He caught just 39 passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns after signing a five-year, $57.5 million contract. He said he feels, “springy” again now that he has 100% faith in his knee.
McCarthy said they want to get Gallup more involved in the passing game after having him run mostly go routes last season, although his 10.9 yards per catch in 2022 was a career low. He had 1,100 yards in 2019, his last full season with Prescott. He might not be able to reach that again with Lamb ascending to a No. 1 role, Cooks’ history and McCarthy’s desire to run the ball, but he can be a much more effective part of the offense in total.
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Training camp is a success if … their key players stay healthy.
In 2021, Dak Prescott missed most of camp with a latissimus strain. Last season, Tyron Smith suffered a torn hamstring that required surgery. Injuries will happen, and while the Cowboys have improved their depth, they have players they simply can’t lose. Tony Pollard, who is coming back from ankle surgery, might be at the top of the list as he ascends to the No. 1 running back role with Ezekiel Elliott gone.
Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff WriterNov 28, 2024, 12:25 PM ET
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Jordan Raanan is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Raanan covers the New York Giants. You can follow him via Twitter @JordanRaanan.
New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito is expected to be out for Thursday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys because of his forearm injury and Drew Lock is expected to start in his place, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jordan Raanan.
DeVito is listed as questionable for the Thanksgiving Day game, but a source told ESPN on Wednesday that DeVito was considered a long shot to play.
He did not travel with the team to Dallas on Wednesday as he was undergoing further evaluation, the Giants said. The team, however, said it expected him to travel to Dallas later Wednesday.
DeVito took several big hits in Sunday’s 30-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was making his first start of the season after the Giants released former starter Daniel Jones late last week.
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The Giants turn to Lock after bypassing him following the benching of Jones for DeVito. Lock spent the first 10 weeks as the backup, with DeVito as the third string/emergency quarterback.
Lock has a short week and no real practices to get ready for the matchup of NFC East rivals. He also will be playing behind an offensive line without its starting tackles. Andrew Thomas (foot) is on injured reserve and Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) was ruled out Wednesday.
Colorado Avalanche (13-10, in the Central Division) vs. Dallas Stars (13-8, in the Central Division)
Dallas; Friday, 9 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Stars -140, Avalanche +116; over/under is 6.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche after the Avalanche took down the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 in a shootout.
Dallas is 13-8 overall and 4-2-0 against the Central Division. The Stars have a 4-2-0 record in games they score at least one power-play goal.
Colorado is 13-10 overall and 2-3-0 against the Central Division. The Avalanche have a 2-5-0 record in games their opponents serve fewer penalty minutes.
The teams meet Friday for the first time this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Matt Duchene has 12 goals and 14 assists for the Stars. Mason Marchment has five goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.
Cale Makar has eight goals and 22 assists for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen has eight goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.1 penalties and 8.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Avalanche: 7-3-0, averaging three goals, 4.8 assists, 2.6 penalties and 5.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Stars: None listed.
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Avalanche: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Dallas Mavericks’ bad injury and availability luck this season continued into Wednesday evening, as Dallas will be without Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, Dante Exum, and Luka Doncic against the New York Knicks tonight.
While no one expected Doncic and Exum to play as they are both out with wrist injuries, both Thompson and Gafford had a chance at playing. Thompson will be out for the second straight game with left foot plantar fascia, and Gafford is out with an illness.
This illness has been no joke for Dallas, as both Quentin Grimes and Dereck Lively II were listed on the injury report, but both are available against the Knicks.
The Mavs have found a way to win two of the three games that Doncic has missed due to this sprained wrist that he unexpectedly suffered against the New Orleans Pelicans last Tuesday, and Mavs head coach Jason Kidd gave the first update on Doncic’s status when it comes to the wrist injury on Wednesday night.
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“He looks good,” Kidd said at his pregame media availability. “Everything that has come back that he looks good and is getting closer to coming back.”
Jason Kidd’s injury update on Luka Doncic who has missed the last three games with a wrist sprain:
“He looks good…Everything that has come back that he looks good and is getting closer to coming back…”
Kidd then continued to talk about how Doncic has been going through “individual workouts,” and everything that he has “heard or seen is trending in the right direction.” He went through a pregame workout at the American Airlines Center with his wrist taped despite being out, and this is a good sign.
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It’s typical for Kidd and the Mavericks to limit what they tell the media when it comes to players’ injuries, but the fact that Doncic is going through workouts and responding well is a good sign. Doncic has not been able to catch a break this season, as he has dealt with a calf contusion, knee contusion, and this wrist sprain over the last two months, and this week-plus off should help get him back to being 100 percent.
He didn’t even seem to be 100 percent with his knee when he injured his wrist against New Orleans, and him getting this time of rest could be huge for him in returning to playing at an MVP level. This wrist injury happened so suddenly against the Pelicans, and even Doncic didn’t know the exact moment it happened. He said that the pain started early on in the game, and it got worse as the game went on. Doncic dubbed his wrist injury as “nothing serious” in his postgame press conference from last Tuesday night, but his availability lately says otherwise.
This season for Dallas, Doncic is averaging 28.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from downtown, and while his numbers are down, Kidd remains confident in his superstar. Kidd emphasized that Doncic is still “human” last week when asked about his slow start to the season, and even though Dallas is finding ways to win without him, his return is going to help take this team to another level.
His teammates miss having him on the floor with them, and the Mavs are a completely different team when Doncic is fully healthy and cooking with gas. It has been a while since Mavs fans saw Doncic fully healthy considering the downpour of injuries that slowed him down during the playoffs, and he and Kyrie Irving will have the chance to help push this team back to the top of the Western Conference once he returns from this wrist injury.
