Dallas Cowboys training camp: Storylines, position battles and what to watch

The Dallas Cowboys begin training camp on July 21 in Oxnard, CA. Here is everything you need to pay attention to from storylines to position battles.

Last year, the Dallas Cowboys weren’t able to travel for training camp due to the pandemic we were all facing. With things looking better in 2021, there’s a lot more normalcy in our world.

That includes teams such as the Cowboys being able to travel for their preseason work. Not only will it be head coach Mike McCarthy’s first trip to Oxnard, CA for camp but the team will also have cameras everywhere as HBO is filming Hard Knocks.

For fans, that gives us a closer than normal look at everything. But what do we need to watch in camp? This guide will touch on all the biggest storylines, position battles, and more as we approach the Cowboys 2021 training camp.

3 Most important Dallas Cowboys additions

3. Damontae Kazee, Free Safety

Dallas has neglected the safety position for years and it’s hard to figure out why. Their secondary continues to get torched and they haven’t realized this is a big reason for that.

Instead of targeting a big-name free agent or going for a top-tier talent early in the draft, they keep using late-round picks and low-priced free agents. This year, the player they added was Damontae Kazee who does have familiarity with Dan Quinn’s defense.

For that reason, the Cowboys might keep him around unlike George Iloka or Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. If so, they could finally have a safety who knows how to get the ball — a foreign concept in Big D.

2. Brent Urban, Defensive Line

The defensive ends are strong in Dallas with DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory but their interior line has some questions. The player with the most experience — and consistency in the NFL — is free-agent addition Brent Urban.

Again, he was a guy signed for a bargain but his ability to shut down the run is underrated and he could end being a steal.

1. Micah Parsons, Linebacker

We can argue all day whether or not the Cowboys should have taken a linebacker at No. 12 when they had so many other needs but that’s a moot point. They made their choice and the good news is, Micah Parsons is an elite talent. And if it wasn’t for the poor taste in everyone’s mouths thanks to Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch’s dual decline, Cowboys nation might actually be pumped about this.

Parsons might be a rookie, but he’s going to be a player counted on to provide a spark from day one. This defense was awful in 2020 and they need a guy who can do it all the way Parsons can to kick start things.