OXNARD, Calif. - On Wednesday, the Cowboys completed their final padded practice in Oxnard for training camp in 2025.
It's not the final training camp practice as a whole however, as the team will host two practices in the future at the Star in Frisco next week.
Rookie running back Phil Mafah put a bow on his first NFL training camp with a good performance, including breaking away on several runs while building off a solid showing in his first preseason game last Saturday.
More details Mafah and some of the other notable moments from Wednesday's practice:
Phil finding lanes: After a good showing in the preseason opener, rookie Phil Mafah had a strong practice on Wednesday finding his gaps and hitting them hard. Mafah had several breakaway runs where he got upfield and ran through contact well. He's made a strong case for himself to make the roster as training camp in Oxnard comes to a close. (-Tommy Yarrish)
Ringing the Bell: Markquese Bell has been a core part of the Cowboys' special teams unit, but the safety was flying around on Wednesday making plays. The highlight of the day was an interception in the seam off of Joe Milton, but he also laid the lumber on Jonathan Mingo on a jet sweep. Will Brian Schottenheimer like that a guy got on the ground? No, but he will like if Bell can play like that against opposing teams. (-Tommy Yarrish)
Road-Grating: Tyler Smith has been in and out of team periods for maintenance of his body, but made a strong impact on Wednesday. Smith got out in space a few times to lay out blocks, and was able to pave lanes for Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in the run game as well. The team has played Brock Hoffman some at left guard when Smith needs a breather, but it was primarily Smith there today. (-Tommy Yarrish)
Sam, I Am: He could not care less about green eggs and ham, but he does care about being really, really good at playing football. Having returned from a torn ACL suffered just over one year ago, Sam Williams looks back in peak form, and nothing says it more than having a would-be sack in team drills and then a pick-six on Dak Prescott to end padded practices in Oxnard — a full speed sprint that might be the fastest top speed of the summer from a Cowboys' player. (-Patrik Walker)
Stay Flo': Anyone who watched the preseason outing between the Cowboys and Rams saw Ryan Flournoy having his way with defensive backs, on multiple occasions, no less. If he and Joe Milton can get and stay on the same page over the next couple weeks, Flournoy could do some real damage, much like he was doing in the final padded practice in Southern California. Flournoy was laying out for catches in one-on-one drills and delivering keyhole first downs for the quarterback in team drills. (-Patrik Walker)
Electric Slide: One thing the Cowboys are working to figure out is how to approach the rotation within their defensive interior, and they clearly have at least one potential answer in Marshawn Kneeland. Having already begun to prove himself as an edge defender and increasingly effective pass rusher, on Wednesday, he was moved inside to near 1-tech and, on one play that really stood out, decimated a double team that forced Dak Prescott to abandon the pocket on an eventual broken play. (-Patrik Walker)
