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5 Cowboys training camp storylines: Contract talks, Ezekiel Elliott’s return and more

Here are some topics to follow as the Cowboys open training camp Thursday, July 25, in Oxnard, Calif.

The Cowboys leave for training camp Tuesday facing pressure, once again, to make a deep playoff run.

Coach Mike McCarthy is entering the final year of his contract after three consecutive 12-win seasons. He’s confident in his ability to push this team to the next level, and the return of cornerback Trevon Diggs from a torn ACL should help. Signing Eric Kendricks at middle linebacker will go a long way toward implementing new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s schemes.

But McCarthy will need help from a team with player contract issues, as well as another MVP-type season from quarterback Dak Prescott, to make the most of what could be the last year in a Cowboys uniform for Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence. Martin hinted at retiring once the season ends, and Lawrence is in the final year of his contract.

And after safety Malik Hooker and linebacker Micah Parsons traded barbs this offseason, do the Cowboys have chemistry issues?

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Here’s a look at the five biggest storylines entering training camp, which starts Thursday in Oxnard, Calif.

Contract talks

The Cowboys have four people seeking contract extensions. One (McCarthy) won’t get resolved until we find out the results of the season, and another (Parsons) won’t occur until the next offseason. That leaves us with Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb.

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Lamb is scheduled to make $17.9 million as part of his fifth-year option. But he’s expected to be a holdout for training camp as he seeks a big extension, with the starting point at least $30 million per year. Contract talks between the sides have gone slow, but Lamb expects to join the league’s highest-paid receivers in average salary: the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson ($35 million), A.J. Brown of the Eagles ($32 million), the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30 million), and Dolphins speedster Tyreek Hill ($30 million).

Negotiations have also been slow with Prescott, who is entering the final year of his deal, but he will attend training camp and said this offseason he’s not concerned. Yet. The quarterback averages $40 million per season, but the market has exploded since he signed a four-year deal worth $160 million in 2021. At least seven quarterbacks have signed contract extensions worth over $200 million. Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) and Joe Burrow (Bengals) lead quarterbacks in average salary at $55 million.

So is Prescott a $60 million man? Or can you say $200 million-plus man?

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Ezekiel Elliott’s return

The Cowboys didn’t draft a running back, citing an inability to grab one in the middle rounds. So the team did the next best thing and brought Zeke Elliott back.

In his lone season with the Patriots, Elliott rushed for 642 yards on 184 carries with three touchdowns. Those numbers don’t inspire confidence, but Elliott started the last five games of the 2023 season and looked spry, averaging 2.96 yards per carry and 5.89 yards per catch. And for the first time in probably two seasons, he was completely free of knee issues.

The Cowboys aren’t looking for Elliott to become a 20- to 25-carry back, and instead will use a run game by committee approach with Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis and Deuce Vaughn.

Team chemistry

In the latter part of the offseason, Hooker questioned Parsons’ commitment to the team because he does a podcast during the season. Parsons responded by saying Hooker should have spoken to him directly rather than on social media.

Parsons is an infrequent visitor to The Star in the offseason outside of reporting to mandatory minicamp. Last month, he defended his choice to work out away from the facility and said he doesn’t need to attend offseason workouts to build chemistry with his teammates, pointing to a trip he took with two of them.

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At some point, Hooker and Parsons will speak about their tiff, if you can describe it as such. But it’s clear something needs to be addressed.

Second-year jump and the bounce back

McCarthy often speaks about rookies taking a second-year jump after struggling in Year 1. That’s the case with defensive tackle Mazi Smith and tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who went through offseason shoulder surgeries and will require bounce-back seasons.

Last year, Smith struggled in the defensive scheme and figured he needed to lose weight to adjust. He’s bulked up and will be in a scheme that should feel more comfortable. Schoonmaker had to overcome the plantar fasciitis he initially suffered in college, which led to a slow start. The Cowboys believe having him healthy will be a nice complement to Jake Ferguson.

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Another player who requires a bounce-back season is veteran right tackle Terence Steele. He started last season on time, but the Cowboys believe his struggles were partly because he was recovering from the torn ACL he suffered at the end of the 2022 season. Getting off to a strong start at camp might calm anyone concerned about his long-term future.

Rookies’ impact

Of the 20 rookies projected to be on the Cowboys’ training camp roster, Tyler Guyton will have the biggest impact. The first-round pick from Oklahoma is marked as the starting left tackle, a high-profile spot. Selecting Guyton allowed the Cowboys to keep Tyler Smith at left guard, which should help Guyton’s development because he can learn from Smith.

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Third-round pick Cooper Beebe will become the starting center. Linebacker Marist Liufau, a third-round pick, expects to earn playing time on special teams, and Dallas’ second-round selection, Marshawn Kneeland, will move into a possible rotation as an edge rusher.

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