Cowboys Training Camp: Nate Thomas Emerges as Starting Left Tackle
OXNARD, Calif. — There were things that actually happened on the field on Saturday at Cowboys training camp practice. Truly. Even beyond Micah Parsons throwing passes and catching passes in a hoodie far away from where he usually stays with the defensive line.
Of course, Parsons’ presence at practice a day after requesting a trade, and the subsequent comments from owner Jerry Jones, were the main stories on Saturday. There has been a story developing, though.
The Cowboys said that they would have an open competition to determine who would be the starting left tackle while Tyler Guyton is out with a knee injury — one that could force him to miss a game or two in the early part of the season.
Visors, backflips, Jerry and Micah: Photos from Cowboys’ Saturday training camp practice
The competition, it seems, could already be over.
The Cowboys used Nate Thomas, a seventh-round pick in 2024, as the starting left tackle for the third practice in a row.
Thomas was a surprise choice to some to be the first replacement for Guyton, who is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a knee sprain. The reason being: He wasn’t seen during his rookie season. Thomas spent the year on injured reserve after he was drafted from Louisiana.
Nate Thomas: The Unexpected Starter
Once Thomas was on the field this offseason, he surprised the Cowboys’ coaches, too. They originally planned to have him at guard. The Cowboys like to cross-train their linemen at both guard and tackle whenever possible. They also learned that Thomas, a tackle in college, felt more comfortable there.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Thomas “popped” off the film when they tried him at tackle. Now, he’s shown enough to consistently earn starting reps.
Thomas credits his preparation for allowing him to take advantage of the chance he’s had.
“Doing extra meetings and then doing the extra time with the coaches and stuff, it just helped me to continuously know what I’m doing and then build the confidence day in and day out to know that I can go out there and get the job done,” Thomas said.
Upcoming Challenges for Nate Thomas
The first big test for Thomas is approaching. The Cowboys will have a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday. They’ll then face the Rams in their preseason opener on Saturday.
The Cowboys have high hopes for Guyton. Until he can return, it seems that they’ve zoned in on his replacement.
Other Notes from Saturday’s Practice
Here are some other notes from Saturday’s practice:
Welcome to the Circus
And no, I’m not talking about the latest contract negotiation fallout. I’m talking about the circus catch CeeDee Lamb made on Saturday.
Lamb, with corner DaRon Bland in good coverage, made a diving bobble catch in stride on a throw from Dak Prescott. Lamb initially got his hands on the deep pass and then secured it as before it could hit the ground.
It wasn’t the only deep-ball connection Prescott and Lamb had on Saturday. They connected down the sideline during a later team drills. No bobble was necessary that time.
The two deep passes are an example of a recent trend. Early on in camp the Cowboys struggled to break through the deep-ball barrier that Matt Eberflus’ defense had on them. That’s changed recently.
“I think offensively the big plays are starting to show up,” Schottenheimer said.
In the Backfield
Cowboys running back Miles Sanders missed his second consecutive practice as he deals with knee pain. He could miss a couple more, according to Schottenheimer. That’s allowed for a wide-open running back competition to continue that way. Two guys that played well on Saturday out of the backfield also feature two different styles: KaVontae Turpin and fullback Hunter Luepke.
Turpin caught a toss from Prescott and used his speed to score what would’ve been a long touchdown. Right tackle Terence Steele had a key block down field to spring Turpin.
Luepke, while not as fast as Turpin, has showed some quickness with the ball in his hands. He had a couple nice runs and had a nice catch and run, too, on Saturday. Schottenheimer has talked often about how much the Cowboys trust Luepke. So far they’re showing it.
Hunter Luepke continues to look good with the ball in his hands. Brian Schottenheimer talks often about his versatility and the trust the Cowboys have in him. pic.twitter.com/cbMFTHqNpC
Another Offensive Line Competition?
Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith, despite what Schottenheimer indicated before practice, missed practice on Saturday. He left Thursday’s practice as he dealt with pain from knee tendinitis, owner Jerry Jones told The Dallas Morning News.
That’s created another offensive line competition. Brock Hoffman has been getting the majority of the time with the starters, but T.J. Bass rotated with him a little bit on Saturday.
The Cowboys also signed Geron Christian and former Cowboys lineman La’el Collins on Saturday. They placed wide receiver Parris Campbell on injured reserve and waived/injured former fifth-round selection Matt Waletzko.
Other Notes
Kenneth Murray returned to the Cowboys for only his second practice of training camp. He missed time while he welcomed a child. He didn’t participate in team drills … Undrafted Syracuse linebacker Justin Barron missed practice. He was wearing a leg sleeve … Fellow Syracuse undrafted player
