A look into the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys joint practice and what battles may be happening.
The Los Angeles Rams are set to face off against the Dallas Cowboys in their first joint practice of the 2026 season.
While the Cowboys will not have to travel far, as they currently practice in Oxnard, California, and will be heading down to Woodland Hills, California, there should be plenty to take in when the teams meet.
Joint practices are the first time where two opposing teams get to meet and essentially tackle those not on their own teams, so things can get very chippy at times. That could very well be the case for both the Rams and Cowboys, as some high-profile camp battles will take center stage.
Will Myles Garrett get a crack at Dak Prescott?
Will rookie Caleb Downs get a chance to silence Puka Nacua or Davante Adams?
With the joint practice taking place on Aug. 11, Roundtable Cowboys' Nathan Karseno joined Roundtable Rams for a Q&A to break down what to look for.
Q: What’s the No. 1 position battle for your team that fans of both teams should be aware of?
Rams:
"The WR3 battle is one of the most intriguing for the Rams, as they do not quite know who will step alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Oddly enough,it is rookie receiver CJ Daniels who has been turning heads in camp, but he is not guaranteed that spot.
"Los Angeles has Xavier Smith and Konata Mumpfield waiting in the wings, and the latter received glowing praise from Adams. Preseason will be the chance to see which receiver will start to separate themselves from the group as the potential top WR3 option."
Cowboys:
"For the Cowboys, it's no longer the left tackle spot. Last year's starter, Tyler Guyton, beat out Nate Thomas after one day of training camp, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer. I think of that less as a "competition" now and more of a motivational tactic for Guyton's training.
"Now, the spot I'm looking at is backup running back. Javonte Williams is back as the starter, but can the Cowboys rely on him to produce at the same volume as last season? Jaydon Blue, Phil Mafah and Malik Davis are the competitors, as was the case last season. Blue appears to be leading the charge, which would satisfy Dallas' 'Thunder and Lightning' vision for the duo of Williams and second-year speedster Blue."
And what about the competition between a certain Rams player or group and a certain Cowboys player or group? What’s the heads up there?
Rams:
"The conversation about Myles Garrett has to be had. The Rams have Garrett in the building, with an already strong pass rush and defensive line in Byron Young, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, and Kobie Turner.
"Add Garrett to the mix, and that unit becomes incredibly scary. How will the Cowboys ensure their offensive line holds? Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe, and Terence Steele are solid as they come. I will be interested to see if the Cowboys' offensive line can stonewall Garrett and the pass rush.''
Cowboys:
"The Rams receivers lining up against the Cowboys' secondary. Davante Adams and Puka Nacua trying to carve through Dallas' new-look cornerback room, now featuring Cobie Durant and a fully healthy Shavon Revel Jr. next to DaRon Bland.
"It might not take much 'trying' for the best receiver duo in the NFL to find success here, but the competitiveness will tell us a lot about Dallas' new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, both as a play-caller and a teacher. Keep an eye on Swiss-army-knife rookie DB Caleb Downs and free agent safety Jalen Thompson in these coverages, as well. Downs' versatility will be crucial all season long for the Cowboys' secondary."
Can you pinpoint what one change has been made with your team that can make the difference from last year?
Rams:
"The cornerback room was completely overhauled. After the Rams allowed Sam Darnold to throw for over 300 yards in the NFC Championship game, they set out to change that unit in a major way.
"All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie was traded for, and the Rams brass brought in his teammate Jaylen Watson. Both are very good cover corners who can also aid the run-stopping of the defense."
Cowboys:
"Parker and Downs are the additions in Dallas that are the most significant. The two figure to form a coach-player relationship that turns them each into stars for years to come, but the Cowboys have a tall hill to climb in fostering a complete defensive turnaround through that partnership.
"Other defensive moves like adding safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, drafting plug-in rushers Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham, and taking advantage of health will be an advantage. But Parker and Downs' chemistry holds the keys to all that is possible for Dallas."
