Training camp holdouts have been a familiar theme for the Dallas Cowboys. They were fortunate that Dak Prescott practiced in a full capacity last summer while he waited to sign his new deal. They are also fortunate that Micah Parsons plans to report for camp next week.
While it remains to be seen how involved Parsons will be in drills, it is a major relief - and a testament to his leadership - that he will be present.
Unfortunately, one of Dallas' other top pass rushers might not report to camp. 2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, regarded as one of the biggest steals this past April, could follow in Chargers rookie Tre Harris' footsteps.
Cowboys' standout rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku might not report to training camp
The Chargers' rookies have already reported to training camp. Harris is one of 30 second-rounders that remain unsigned seemingly due to a disagreement over guaranteed money.
This comes in the wake of the Texans and Browns giving rookies Jayden Higgins and Carson Schwesinger fully-guaranteed contracts in May. Higgins became the first second-round pick ever to sign a fully-guaranteed deal, and the Browns swiftly followed suit with Schwesinger.
In addition to Harris, we also know that Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough wants a fully-guaranteed contract. It stands to reason that most, if not all, second-round picks are fighting for the security of an ironclad deal.
Read more: Cowboys 53-man roster projection spares one fan favorite no one saw coming
That potentially includes Ezeiruaku, who participated in OTAs and minicamp despite not signing his rookie contract. It would be a major inconvenience if Ezeiuraku does not report.
While Parsons and Dante Fowler are expected to start on the edge, Ezeiruaku figures to be a huge part of Dallas' pass rush in year one. A number of analysts think Ezeiruaku could steal the starting spot from Fowler during the season and it's not hard to see why.
Widely projected to be a first-round pick, Ezeiruaku posted the second-most sacks in college football last season with 16. He added 60 pressures, 20 QB hits and a 90.7 pass-rush grade and 25.8 percent pass-rush win rate in true pass sets, per PFF. He's undersized for the position, but has the twitch, speed, bend and strength to become a really impactful player.
It wouldn't be the end of the world if Ezeiruaku didn't report for the start of camp. However, every rookie needs an acclimation period and we'd be talking about him missing valuable reps and falling behind as far as learning Matt Eberflus' system.
Not to mention, there's a potential golden opportunity for him to get first-team reps if Parsons doesn't practice in a full capacity while he waits for his own contract situation to get sorted.
Nothing is official yet, but it is hard to see this league-wide issue getting resolved before the team arrives in Oxnard on July 20.