OXNARD, Calif. — One thing the Dallas Cowboys desperately need to find, particularly following a 2024 ravaged by availability issues, is a pesticide that can keep the injury bug away from their roster going forward, seeing as it’s already beginning to sting on both sides of the ball in training camp.
The glee from seeing defensive end Sam Williams return from a torn ACL suffered in the previous trip to Oxnard was dampened a bit by a round of new injuries in 2025, as well as the fact several impact players, e.g., Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown, are still trying to work their way back to the field.
A terrible scare regarding the ACL of former first-round pick and starting left tackle Tyler Guyton gave way to news that he would only miss the remainder of camp and the entirety of the preseason, but it also arrived not long before news of Caelen Carson’s injury landed.
Several players have also been waived/injured in Oxnard, namely Rob Jones, Matt Waletzko and Parris Campbell.
With that, let’s take a look at the Cowboys’ injury roundup as they break camp in Oxnard, and ahead of their preseason matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, as Dallas also prepares to migrate their final practices to the familiar confines of Dallas.
Offensive line:
- Tyler Guyton – knee
- Saahdiq Charles – knee (hyperextension)
As noted, Guyton continues to work his way back but, given the initial scare, the great news is he’s not only in good spirits, but he was seen slowly going through some offensive line movements with the training staff during his rehab assignments; and he looks to be progressing very well in his recovery. Charles suffered a hyperextended knee in the preseason matchup against the Rams, and it’s unknown if he’ll be given the green light to take the field against the Ravens in the Cowboys’ second preseason matchup.
Running back:
- Jaydon Blue – foot/ankle (bruise)
It was last week, in practice, when Blue’s ankle/foot suffered a bruise during a rep in team drills, and he initially wore a boot for a couple days. He’s since removed the boot, but has yet to return to practice this week, putting his availability against the Ravens in serious jeopardy. The Cowboys plan on testing his ankle in pregame at AT&T Stadium, and will make a decision from there, per Brian Schottenheimer on Thursday in Oxnard.
Tight end:
Brevyn Spann-Ford – leg (undisclosed)
The initial prognosis for Spann-Ford to return was a couple weeks, per Schottenheimer, and that was roughly two weeks ago. The young, talented tight end has remained absent from the field since suffering his injury, and there’s little to no chance he plays against the Ravens, having not practiced in quite some time. He will be reevaluated in Dallas for a possible go against the Falcons on Aug. 22.
Wide receiver:
The battle at wide receiver is hot-and-heavy, to say the very least, and Brooks is hoping to not miss any opportunities to keep his name in the mix, but a hip injury is making that difficult for the young wideout this week. The injury does not appear to be major or severely concerning, but it’s also unknown if it’ll cost him game reps going forward this preseason.
Defensive line:
One thing Turner is hoping to prove in his stretch with the Cowboys is that he can remain available and, as such, he’s currently fighting through a rib injury suffered against the Rams in the preseason opener. The veteran edge rusher left practice at one point this week for treatment, but was back on the field the next day and did participate in Thursday’s walkthrough.
Cornerback:
- Caelen Carson – knee (hyperextension/sprain)
- Robert Rochelle – hamstring
Having returned from a season-ending shoulder injury suffered in 2024, Carson finds himself again on the sideline but, this time, trying to recover from a knee injury that’s kept him off of the practice field up to and through Thursday’s walkthrough. Rochelle is attempting to show he can provide depth at the cornerback position, but went down against the Rams with a hamstring injury that ruled him out of the game in the first quarter. The team has not decided if they’ll allow him to test it against the Ravens.
Safety:
He’s begun making a name for himself throughout padded practices for his physical, hard-hitting ability, but that’s been put on pause with an elbow injury that’s sidelined him throughout practices this week. The undrafted free agent has done a lot of work with the training staff to get back on the field as soon as possible, though it’s unclear when that will be.
