Joe Milton impresses early at Cowboys training camp
Joe Milton opened Dallas Cowboys training camp in Oxnard with sharper deep-ball accuracy, hitting Jonathan Mingo on a couple of impressive longer throws and fitting a pass in traffic to tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford—throws he often missed wildly a year ago—signaling early competition for the backup quarterback role.
Key Takeaways
- Backup quarterback candidate Joe Milton completed impressive deep passes to Jonathan Mingo in the first Oxnard practice.
- Milton also threaded a throw in traffic to tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford, improving on last year's wild misses.
- Coach Brian Schottenheimer's camp theme centers on competition, communication, and conditioning after two losing seasons.
- All 91 Cowboys were on the field for Day 1, with returns from DaRon Bland, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Shavon Revel.
- Owner Jerry Jones said he would trade future assets to win now in 2026.
How did Joe Milton look in the Cowboys' first practice?
According to DallasCowboys.com columnist Mickey Spagnola's Mick Shots notes from Oxnard, Joe Milton stood out among the backup quarterback candidates on Wednesday's first practice. Milton completed a couple of impressive deeper passes, both to Jonathan Mingo.
Those were throws Spagnola noted Milton regularly missed wildly last season. Milton also fit another pass nicely in traffic to tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford. Yahoo Sports separately flagged Spann-Ford for finding soft spots in the defense and making a strong catch away from his body on Day 1.
Why does the early backup battle matter for Dallas?
The Cowboys are opening their 20th training camp at the River Ridge Sports Complex while trying to snap two consecutive losing seasons. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has framed camp around three Cs: competition, communication, and conditioning.
Competition is not limited to roster spots. Schottenheimer wants the offense and defense practicing hard against each other daily. Even the coaching staff is trading notes after going against new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. In that setting, cleaner throws from Joe Milton are an early data point in a crowded evaluation period.
Schottenheimer also promised more conditioning work during the ramp-up period. About 1 hour and 20 minutes into Wednesday's practice, players lined up for post-practice 50-yard half-speed sprints. The staff plans more padded practices, fewer 7-on-7 periods, and more 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 work to build a more physical team.
What else stood out as camp opened out west?
All 91 players were on the field for the first practice, with no one on the PUP or NFI lists. ESPN reported the Cowboys opened camp fully healthy for the first time in a long time, though Schottenheimer said DaRon Bland (foot) and Donovan Ezeiruaku (hip) will be monitored early after offseason rehabs.
Spagnola saw Bland back in team drills, Ezeiruaku with the first-team outside linebackers in the base 3-4, and second-year corner Shavon Revel with the second-team defense after missing last year's camp with a torn ACL. Running back Jaydon Blue took second-team reps behind Javonte Williams and broke off long runs nobody chased down. Defensive back P.J. Locke limped off with what was described as a hyperextended knee and headed for imaging.
Dak Prescott started his 11th season on his 33rd birthday and remains the clear starter. Jerry Jones repeated that he feels good about giving up the future for now if a trade can help Dallas win in 2026, with Super Bowl contention as the success bar.
For more BlasterPost coverage beyond the gridiron, browse our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.