FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys are expected to hold joint practices with the Denver Broncos and LA Chargers during training camp.
The Cowboys' first two preseason games are Aug. 13 at Denver and Aug. 20 at LA during camp, which is held annually in Oxnard, Calif. The full camp schedule has not yet been announced, but the Cowboys are expected to practice one day in Denver and two practices with the Chargers in Los Angeles.
Head coach Mike McCarthy scheduled one joint practice with the Rams last August in Oxnard and was pleased with the results. He described it as a "professional thud" format in terms of physicality, not a full-contact practice.
In the past, the Cowboys have practiced against the Chargers in San Diego for a few days in 2012 and also split some practices with the Broncos in 2008 in Denver.
"These practices give you an opportunity to get a lot of quality work done and lower the risk that you obviously have to go through to play in preseason games," McCarthy said then.
The Cowboys played the Chargers and Broncos last year in the regular season, beating LA on a last-second field goal in Week 2 and falling to Denver, 30-16, in Week 9 – easily the most lopsided loss of the season.
Like last year against Matthew Stafford and the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams, this year's joint practices would provide a good test against opposing quarterbacks. LA's Justin Herbert is among the best young quarterbacks in the league, and the Broncos bolstered their offense this offseason by trading for nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson.
