Dallas Cowboys 2022 NFL preseason round-up: Ezekiel Elliott, young receivers, heading back to Texas…

The Dallas Cowboys will face the Los Angeles Chargers in their second preseason game at SoFi Stadium, and then they are headed home.

Cowboys say goodbye to California

The Cowboys have officially ended their training camp in the West Coast in the seaside city of Oxnard, where they have been practicing since July 26.

They had a second joint practice with the Chargers on Thursday, which signaled the end of their stay in the west.

The team will face Los Angeles tonight at SoFi Stadium, then head back to Dallas to resume training in Frisco.

Is Zeke Elliott on his way out?

Ezekiel Elliott has been a reliable and productive running back for the Dallas Cowboys for quite a few years, earning three Pro Bowl nods since the team selected him as the fourth pick in the first round of the 2016 Draft. At 27 years old, he may still be considered young, but in the rough and tumble world of football, this is already close to retirement age. He’s about to enter his seventh season with the franchise, and there is a possibility he will say goodbye to the team in the offseason.

The issue isn’t so much his performance, it’s the colossal six-year, $90 million contract extension he signed with the team in 2019. The total agreement remains the biggest for his position, and has come to a an $18.2 million cap hit for this year. Much of his salary is guaranteed this year, but this is not true for 2023. The Cowboys may decide to free up some cap space by dropping Elliott in the spring.

Young receivers get their chance

Training camp has seen the Cowboys a little short on the receiver side, with CeeDee Lamb, Noah Brown, and James Washington left on the sidelines due to injuries.

It’s been a chance for young receivers to show what they’ve got and that they deserve that roster spot. Rookie Dennis Houston has been making an impression on the team, with a Hail Mary touchdown catch from quarterback Dak Prescott at practice, as well as with his dependability.

Simi Fehoko, a fifth-round draft pick last year, tallied the only touchdown of the team in their first preseason game against the Denver Broncos. KaVontae Turpin is also making waves in practice with his speed.

The injuries of the veterans are certainly providing an opportunity for the younger ones to shine.