5 Takeaways from Cowboys rookie minicamp: No to Fangio, Schotty moving different

Yahoo Sports2h ago39 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The Dallas Cowboys held their rookie minicamp, with all rookies except Malachi Lawrence signing their contracts. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer emphasized a new approach to training, focusing on integrating rookies into the team's practice culture.

Key points

Dallas Cowboys held rookie minicamp for their new class
All rookies except Malachi Lawrence signed contracts
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer emphasized a new training approach
Focus on integrating rookies into practice culture
Dak Prescott's performance impacts coaching scrutiny

Mentioned in this story

Brian SchottenheimerDak Prescott

Malachi LawrenceDallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys brought their rookie class into town this past weekend. Initially, they took care of front office business. The rookies, all but No. 23 pick Malachi Lawrence, all signed their deals, and that includes the UDFAs and their three-year pacts. The equipment managers had their new jersey numbers ready for them when they walked into the locker rooms at The Star in Frisco, again both for draft picks and for the UDFA class.

But then on Friday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and his staff got their hands on the rookie class on the practice field. The team distributed playbooks following the draft last week, but this was the first chance to se what had been absorbed, and perhaps more importantly give the youngsters a taste of what life will be like at Cowboys practice once they get to working with the veterans.

Here are the major takeaways from the first real work of the rookie class while wearing the star.

Much different tone to rookie work for Schottenheimer

While most of the attention on the coaching staff has rightfully been focused on first-time defensive coordinator Christian Parker, Schottenheimer's season is under a lot of scrutiny as well. For the first time since 2019, a healthy Dak Prescott didn't lead his team to the playoffs. While the blame sits on the shoulders of the league-worst D, the head coach bears responsibility there, too.

Schottenheimer was in charge of it all for the first time, and it appears he's approaching things differently, as his rookie camp is far more intense than it was last season. Players working so hard they're throwing up? Okay, Taskmaster Schotty.

The vomiting conversation seemed to be associated with the tight end group, as Schottenheimer was speaking of Baylor's Michael Trigg and TCU's DJ Rogers when it came up.

"Green Dot" candidates include both linebacker and safety

Former scout and media member Bryan Broaddus uncovered that this version of the Cowboys defense isn't necessary going to follow the status quo when it comes to their field general. Often, the middle linebacker is who receives the calls from the coaching staff in their helmet speaker, but that isn't necessarily going to be the case for the Cowboys.

It's opened up a lot of debate for who may be the mouthpiece for Parker's wishes, and for the first time, a Cowboys coach weighed in on that. Schottenheimer gave several names who could be under consideration, mentioning safety Jalen Thompson among the candidates, along with linebackers and .

Q&A

What were the key takeaways from the Cowboys rookie minicamp?

The minicamp highlighted a new training approach under head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the integration of rookies into the team's practice culture.

Who is Malachi Lawrence and why didn't he sign his deal with the Cowboys?

Malachi Lawrence is the No. 23 pick in the draft, and the article does not specify the reasons for his unsigned deal.

What changes are being implemented by the Cowboys coaching staff this season?

The Cowboys coaching staff, particularly under Schottenheimer, is focusing on a different tone in rookie training and integrating them into the practice environment.

How did Dak Prescott's performance affect the Cowboys' coaching decisions?

Dak Prescott's inability to lead the team to the playoffs last season has put additional scrutiny on head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the overall coaching strategy.