The Dallas Cowboys have wrapped their second week of OTAs. Newcomers Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore are already making an impact, while Micah Parsons told reporters he expects to play eight (!) different positions this upcoming season.
Of course, Cooks, Gilmore, and even Parsons, are stablished vets at this point in their respective careers. Organized team activities should come easy for players of their prestige, and most of the starting 11 on both sides of the ball in general.
That being said, there are several key takeaways fans should be aware of before the Cowboys take the field again in two weeks. Good or bad, it's important not to overreact from practices this early in the offseason, but there have been plenty of both over the first two weeks.
Positive Cowboys takeaway: Eric Scott practicing with first-team defense
Is it time to believe the hype? Sure, Trevon Diggs hasn't been practicing everyday and Nahshon Wright has also been sidelined, but it speaks volumes Scott has taken extensive reps with the first-team defense opposite Stephon Gilmore.
The Cowboys surprised seemingly everyone when they traded up to draft Scott, a prospect many analysts pegged to go undrafted, in the sixth round.
Every Cowboys reporter has spoken glowingly of Scott's performance thus far, culminating in Isha Morrison of the famed "The Draft Show" and the "Girls Talk, 'Boys Talk" podcast noting Scott ran stride for stride with some of the team's best receivers.
It'll be fascinating to monitor Scott's development before the regular season kicks off.
Negative Cowboys takeaway: Peyton Hendershot struggling with drops
Hendershot faces a ton of pressure to perform at OTAs, minicamp and training camp after the Cowboys drafted Luke Schoonmaker in the second round. As of this writing, Hendershot is third in the tight end pecking order and he hasn't done much at OTAs to change that narrative.
Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Hendershot dropped a pass in red-zone drills that bounced into the path of rookie corner Eric Scott Jr. It's only one play, but this can't be happening for Hendershot, who got extra reps with Schoonmaker out of practice due to a foot injury.
It's also not the first time a Hendershot drop resulted in a Dak Prescott interception. Fans will remember the young TE's juggling act on Thursday Night Football against the Titans that landed in the arms of Kevin Byard.
Again, not the end of the world, but Hendershot needs to clean it up.
Positive Cowboys takeaway: Progression from second-year players
Remember in 2021 when Mike McCarthy raved about Terence Steele's progression at OTAs after a bumpy rookie year? Steele followed that with a breakout season and he's now poised to be the Cowboys' franchise right tackle.
Well, this week McCarthy raved about two soon-to-be-second-year players: Sam Williams and Jalen Tolbert. Speaking to reporters before Thursday's practice, McCarthy called Williams and Tolbert two "excellent examples" of players making the second-year jump.
Of course, Williams showed plenty of flashes as a rookie. Though part of a crowded pass-rush rotation, the 2022 second-round pick managed four sacks, nine QB hits, 10 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 22 pressures.
It was a different story for Tolbert, who essentially red-shirted as a rookie. Though healthy, he was active for only eight games and had two catches for 12 yards to show for it.
At OTAs, though, Tolbert has stood out among Dallas' pass-catchers. Taking several first-team reps, McCarthy acknowledged that the 2022 third-rounder made impressive plays in seven-on-seven drills and the two-minute situation.
Negative Cowboys takeaway: Luke Schoonmaker's injury
Negative takeaways from OTAs seldom carry over into the regular season, but it's not ideal Schoonmaker is already combatting an injury. The one knock on Schoonmaker coming out of Michigan was his injury history. While this is a minor ailment, the rookie will be hoping it doesn't linger into training camp.
On Thursday, Schoonmaker was spotted wearing a protective boot on his right foot. According to ESPN's Todd Archer, the former Wolverine is dealing with a minor case of plantar fascia. Not a huge cause for concern, but a concern nonetheless, especially given how tough serious cases of plantar fasciitis can be.
The silver lining is Dallas is getting ahead of it. Before the injury, Schoonmaker had taken reps with the first-team offense. As long as this is a brief spell on the sidelines, the 2023 second-round pick should be back on the practice field for the end of OTAs or start of minicamp.
Let's hope this is a case of the Cowboys exercising caution more than anything else.
Positive takeaway: Michael Gallup's health
Mike McCarthy confirmed the Cowboys won't be involved in the DeAndre Hopkins sweepstakes. Time will tell if that's the right decision, but Dallas is happy with its current group of receivers following the Brandin Cooks trade.
The ceiling of the group, however, might hinge on Gallup's performance and the early returns from OTAs suggest he's primed for a bounce-back season.
Per team reporters, Gallup looks more confident at the point of catch and decisive in his route-running. The former third-round pick has taken some practice reps in the slot, indicating he'll have a more expansive route tree in 2023.
It's only OTAs, but Gallup is getting open and catching everything thrown his way. More importantly, though, is the fact jump balls and contested catches -- two of his calling cards -- are coming more effortlessly than they did for most of the last two seasons.