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Could one of the Dallas Cowboys’ best players be changing position?
The Dallas Cowboys are off and running at training camp as they begin their two and a half week run-in to their first exhibition game at Seattle. They didn’t measurably improve their chances of winning a Super Bowl on Day 1, but evidently rookie Caleb Downs is lining up all over the place for a secondary that doesn’t look like last year’s.
One of their best players, guard Tyler Smith, is back in his familiar digs, but could he factor into a battle at tackle if Dallas needs to reshape its offensive line?
More: Madden 27 rookie rankings are out. Is anyone better than Caleb Downs?
As the Cowboys move into training camp, here is their day.
What does the season hold for Cowboys' Tyler Smith?
Discussions about the Dallas Cowboys’ best player start with Dak Prescott, and depending on how one values kickers, moves on to Brandon Aubrey. Fifth-year pro Tyler Smith is not a bad choice either, as the guard is coming off three straight Pro Bowl seasons after starting his career at tackle. He is the third guard in history to get three Pro Bowl nods before the age of 25.
But could he move back to left tackle? One of the camp battles is between incumbent Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas, with concerns about Guyton’s health and consistency. Interestingly, Smith said on Monday he hadn’t heard from coach Brian Schottenheimer where he would be working at camp, saying, “You know, we'll see what happens," Smith said. "Ultimately, Schotty makes those decisions. Wherever I do line up, I'm gonna be at the best of my abilities."
More: What key questions do the Dallas Cowboys face at training camp?
Then, in the Cowboys press conference to open training camp, Schottenheimer addressed that in a fairly predictable way.
"He's going to start at left guard, and we're going to get him some reps at tackle," Schottenheimer said . "Why? Because we have to be ready. That is no different than Tyler Booker getting some snaps at center. At the end of the day, we are committed to winning and winning now, and we are going to play the five best guys. I am excited to see Tyler Guyton, Nate Thomas and Drew Shelton compete at tackle as well."
PJ Locke injured at training camp
Dallas didn’t need long to pick up its first injury of camp, as backup safety PJ Locke exited Wednesday’s practice with an apparent knee injury while backpedaling in a non-contact drill. Initial word is that his knee is hyperextended but isn't believed to be too serious.
He signed with Dallas from Denver this past offseason on a one-year, $4 million deal. He is projected as the fourth safety, the top backup at the position, on a defense that starts three safeties.
Will Grier joins Dallas Cowboys' coaching staff
Dallas brought back a familiar name as recently retired quarterback Will Grier is joining the Cowboys coaching staff. Grier was with the Cowboys in 2020-21 and again in 2024-25 in a backup capacity. He was offered the chance to join the Cowboys coaching staff earlier this summer.
He declined and signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers, but then retired earlier in July and now is in fact becoming a coach.
Your starting secondary on the first play of team defense for the Cowboys: CB: Cobie Durant NCB: Caleb Downs FS: Malik Hooker SS: Jalen Thompson CB: DaRon Bland
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 29, 2026 What does the Dallas Cowboys' secondary look like?
Per Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News, the Dallas Cowboys secondary for the first play of team session of Wednesday’s first day of training camp was cornerback Cobie Durant, nickel cornerback Caleb Downs, free safety Malik Hooker, strong safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback DaRon Bland.
Hoyt followed that up with a tweet that has to have Dallas fans excited: “In the last three plays I’ve seen Cowboys rookie Caleb Downs line up near the edge, in the box, and play deep middle third. They wanted a versatile defensive back and they plan to use Downs accordingly.”
Key facts about Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones
The 83-year-old Jerry Jones was born on October 13, 1942 in Los Angeles, California. He bought the Cowboys in 1989. He is worth an estimated $18.8 billion.
Dallas Cowboys preseason schedule
Week 1: Aug 15 at Seattle Seahawks 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT
Week 2: Aug 22 at Arizona Cardinals 11 a.m. MT/noon CT
Week 3: Aug 29 vs. New Orleans Saints 10 a.m. MT/11 a.m. CT
Bret Bloomquist can be reached, [email protected]; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Could one of the Dallas Cowboys’ best players be changing position?
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