Caleb Downs and a Full Roster Have Dallas Believing in a Turnaround

The Dallas Cowboys walked into training camp in Oxnard this week with something they haven’t had in a while: a clean bill of health. Every single player on the 91-man roster is expected to be ready to practice when camp officially opens, according to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. That’s not nothing, especially for a team coming off two straight years of missing the playoffs.

There were some minor health issues during offseason workouts, but nothing that carried over into July. So for at least one day, the Cowboys aren’t dealing with the injury drama that usually shadows them this time of year. They’ll have to cut that roster down to 53 by September, but for now, everyone gets a chance to prove themselves.

Defense is the whole story this summer

Let’s be honest. The Cowboys’ offense was electric last season. They put up points in bunches. That’s not the problem. The problem was a defense that looked lost way too often. It was bad. Embarrassing at times. So this offseason, Dallas went all-in on fixing it.

They used both first-round picks on defensive players. The headliner is Caleb Downs, the safety out of Ohio State who some scouts thought was the best defensive back in the draft. He’s got the range to cover deep and the instincts to play underneath. He’ll be expected to contribute right away.

And he’s not the only new face. Don’t forget Quinnen Williams, who came over from the Jets last season and will anchor the interior. They made other moves too — a few veteran signings, some scheme tweaks. The hope is that all of this adds up to a defense that’s at least average. And if that happens, with the offense they’ve got, Dallas could actually be a problem in the NFC.

No more excuses for this group

It’s only July, so nobody’s declaring anything yet. But the vibes are good. The roster is healthy. The draft picks are in camp. The front office spent real resources on the side of the ball that needed the most help. Now it’s up to the coaches to make it work.

The season starts September 13, a Sunday night game against the Giants in New York. That’s a divisional opener on national TV. Not a bad way to find out if this defense is for real or not.