3 front office decisions that are turning heads in Cowboys training camp

Several of the Cowboys moves over the offseason are showing up early in training camp.

The Dallas Cowboys aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. Sometimes they’ll make a poor trade, draft a player who doesn’t pan out, or believe they have adequate depth somewhere where they really don’t. When these mistakes reveal themselves, it’s no fun for anyone.

Sometimes, things work out quite nicely, even if it’s not apparent right away. As the first week of training is nearing an end, we have finally gotten a glimpse of what this football team might be capable of. There are many things to be excited about, but a few of them are starting to make the Cowboys look pretty smart. Here are some players who are turning heads during the first week of training camp.

Pickens is something else

The moment the Cowboys acquired Pickens from the Pittsburgh Steelers, fans were excited, but we’ve been conditioned to slow our roll because of the weird history Mike Tomlin has of jumping ship at the right moment. The former Georgia receiver has been great, but when will the wheels fall off?

Pickens has been a pure delight in training camp. He looks the part of a seasoned pro, and we are watching him and Dak Prescott developing chemistry right before our eyes. Whether he’s catching contested passes over the middle or making one-handed grabs at the back of the end zone, he’s been impressive.

We don’t know how this Pickens experiment is going to play out, but if he continues on this path, the Cowboys are going to have a super talented wide receiving duo.

Guyton looks much improved

Last year was rough for the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick. With elevated expectations from a team with a history of finding All-Pro offensive line gems on Day 1, Gutyon fell considerably short. He battled some injuries, and his overall play was shaky at times. The team is hoping to see a nice year two jump for the guy protecting Prescott’s blindside.

So far, things are looking promising. He is popping out of his stance quicker and his footwork has been smooth. He’s been able to sustain a wide base and his hands are always in a ready position. Rookie edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku is off to a hot start himself in camp and has been presenting a good challenge, but the second year tackle is doing a good job holding his own.

Guyton is a tall guy, and sustaining his balance hasn’t always been easy for him when he has to bend, but he’s holding up pretty solid against some contorting edge rushers.

The Cowboys were arrogantly confident that they would have a quality left tackle available late in the first round, which is why they even traded back a few spots to gain some extra draft capital. While some might have been prematurely pondering if the Oklahoma tackle might fall into the “bust” category, he is on a rather normal trajectory with a promising start in camp.

Milton looks sharp

It’s hard to believe that the Cowboys were able to land quarterback Joe Milton for essentially an Arby’s coupon, but that’s the great deal they got. The New England Patriots didn’t pay much for him either, as they got him in the sixth round of 2024. And after a nice showing in his only game last year, it looked like there was something there; however, the Patriots’ surplus of quarterback depth made him of lesser value to them.

As they say, one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure, and so far, that treasure is looking quite shiny. From what we’ve seen in camp early on, his footwork looks good, his accuracy has been good, and he looks very comfortable on the move.

Having a reliable backup is critical, especially for a team that has seen its starter miss several games over the last few years. If Milton turns out to be a guy who can make plays and force defenses to respect his skill set, this trade will go down as a huge win for the Cowboys.