Just like the NFL offseason, Dallas Cowboys training camp is flying by.
Week 3 is underway in Oxnard and the Cowboys play their first preseason game Saturday against the Jaguars. Dallas would love nothing more than to extract revenge on Jacksonville after their overtime loss last season, but Mike McCarthy has publicly stated that the team's starters won't see much action.
That's always been the expectation, though. The first and second week of preseason is all about roster bubble players getting a chance to shine and other players higher on the depth chart aiming to put a stamp on their position battles.
Some Cowboys, though, performed well enough to wrap up their position battles on the practice field. With that in mind, let's underline some battles that have (seemingly) already been decided.
3. Rico Dowdle RB2 over Malik Davis
This is likely subject to change more than the other two "determined" position battles, but it's noteworthy that Rico Dowdle was listed as the No. 2 running back ahead of Malik Davis on the Cowboys first unofficial depth chart.
A number of Cowboys reporters and fans believe Dowdle is the better back -- not that there's a massive gap -- and this is indicative of that.
Mike McCarthy has spoken glowingly of Dowdle, who captained the Cowboys special teams unit against the Giants last season. The fact he can contribute on special teams makes him a virtual lock for the 53-man roster, but there might not be a big role for him in that regard if he's serving as RB2 behind Tony Pollard.
The only concern with Dowdle is injuries, so it'd be foolish to think he has a stranglehold on the backup job. He's suffered a season-ending injury in each of his first two seasons, and has seven total carries in his career.
If Dowdle can remain upright, the RB2 job is his to lose.
2. Jalen Tolbert WR4 over Simi Fehoko
Much like the Cowboys 40-3 beatdown of the Vikings last season, the WR4 battle wasn't even a contest. It was arguably the most anticipated battle heading into training camp, and Tolbert distanced himself from Fehoko right out of the gates.
It didn't help that Fehoko dropped a pass early in camp that resulted in an interception, but Tolbert seemingly hasn't put a foot wrong in Oxnard. He's made a number of tough grabs in tight coverage, including a few on Stephon Gilmore, and is routinely creating separation on his routes.
Everything about Tolbert's game is markedly improved from last year. His route-running and ball-tracking in particular have stood out. He's more confident in his ability and playing more physical as a result.
That's an exciting thought because at 6-foot-3 Tolbert is the tallest of the Cowboys' top four receivers. On one particular route, Tolbert showed excellent strength to shake off rookie cornerback Eric Scott Jr. and work back to the football for a long reception on a slightly underthrown ball.
Fehoko has had a nice camp, but his lowlights have stuck out like a sore thumb, like at Monday's practice when he dropped a deep ball on Dak Prescott's best throw of the day.
1. Jake Ferguson TE1 over Luke Schoonmaker
Tight end checks in at No. 1 because the distance between Ferguson and Schoonmaker seems greater than that of Dowdle and Davis and Tolbert and Fehoko.
That's largely due to the fact Schoonmaker missed the first two weeks of camp with a partial tear of the plantar fascia that limited him during the offseason program. The good news is Schoonmaker was activated off the non-football injury list Monday, giving him two weeks and preseason to close the gap with Ferguson.
That probably isn't enough time, however. These essentially are Schoonmaker's first practices of the offseason. He missed most of OTAs and mandatory minicamp with the foot injury, which initially had him in a walking boot.
The Cowboys entire tight end room has impressed in Oxnard, but Ferguson has gotten the lion's share of reps with the first team offense. That's no surprise, but it stands to reason that Schoonmaker is a distant third on the depth chart as the third week of camp kicks into high gear.