4 Cowboys who have been virtually nonexistent in training camp

Training camp is a great platform for young players and players on the roster bubble to prove themselves worthy of a spot on the 53-man roster. As it pertains to the Dallas Cowboys, several players have taken that opportunity and run with it.

Journeyman wide receiver Tyron Billy-Johnson is a prime example as he's been perhaps the biggest pleasant surprise from the first two weeks of camp.

Some players shrink under the camp spotlight, while a select few fail to move the needle in either direction. We're talking about players that disappear into the ether even though they are very clearly partaking in camp. With that, here are some Cowboys who fit that description.

4. Josh Ball

It wasn't a good omen for Ball that the Cowboys drafted three offensive linemen this year. That included two interior OL in third-round pick Cooper Beebe and seventh-rounder Nathan Thomas.

A fourth-round pick in 2021, Ball has struggled to say healthy since he joined the Cowboys. He landed on IR as a rookie due to an ankle injury and a hip/groin injury cost him the entirety of last season. He was healthy in 2022, and though he appeared in 13 games he didn't have the trust of the coaching staff.

You might remember Dallas signing a 40-year-old Jason Peters to be its swing tackle; a job that was Ball's to lose entering training camp.

Entering a last-chance season with the Cowboys, Ball has hardly made a peep in camp. 2022 fifth-round pick Asim Richards has impressed at guard and tackle and could be the top choice to backup Tyler Smith and Zack Martin along the interior.

3. CB Nahshon Wright

Coming into camp, Cowboys fans were eager to see which cornerback would emerge as the fourth option behind Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis. If the first two weeks are any indication, rookie fifth-round pick Caelen Carson is running away with that job.

That is terrible news for Wright. While he dislodged a couple passes early in camp, he's been extremely quiet ever since. In fact, most of the time he's mentioned by reporters he is either committing a penalty or giving up a big gain in coverage.

Wright may make the 53-man roster thanks to his length and experience, but it's speaks volumes that a rookie in Carson has thoroughly outplayed him. If the Cowboys were smart, they would scavenge the cut market for a veteran upgrade because Wright has no business playing meaningful snaps in 2024.

2. CB Eric Scott Jr.

More of the same here. The Cowboys will be reluctant to give up on Scott, whom they traded up to draft in the sixth round just last year.

After making waves in training camp last summer, Scott struggled mightily in preseason and wasn't active for a single game. It was a stunning turn of events given the secondary was without Trevon Diggs for all but two games and that Nahshon Wright was on IR for the first five games with an ankle injury.

This summer has been a different story for Scott. Diggs has been eased back in after he was activated off the PUP list and yet, Scott has been nonexistent. It's been the Jourdan Lewis and Caelen Carson show at cornerback.

It will be interesting to see how many CBs are kept on the 53-man roster. Right now, it's impossible to know if Wright or Scott has the inside track.

1. DL Viliami Fehoko Jr.

The Cowboys surprised a lot of fans when they drafted Fehoko in the fourth round last year. Like Scott, Vehoko wasn't active for a single game last season and though Dallas' defensive line is far from stacked, he has a long way to go before he can be trusted to play in Mike Zimmer's defense.

John Owning of Pro Football Focus gave a damning review of the second-year pro from Friday's training camp practice.

"While Fehoko's effort is always high, he just doesn't have the athletic ability to put even the reserve offensive linemen in trouble," Owning writes. "After being drafted for a Dan Quinn defense in 2023, he doesn't appear to be a great fit in Mike Zimmer's defense this season. It's still early, but Fehoko could be a surprise cut at the end of camp if he keeps performing like he did Friday."

Fehoko was drafted to fill multiple roles along the defensive line. At 267 pounds, though, he's seemingly too light to cause havoc on the interior and he may not be nimble enough to generate pressure on the edge.

Zimmer generally knows how to get the most out of his players, so there may be hope yet for Fehoko's roster hopes. As Owning eloquently noted, though, he's trending in the wrong direction with preseason on the horizon.

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