Rounding Up Cowboys' Rumors, Buzz Amid 2023 Training Camp

The Dallas Cowboys are poised to officially kick off their 2023 season with their first training camp session in Oxnard, California.

Training camp is the next major milestone on the way to the return of NFL action. It also means there's plenty of buzz and news to go around as the Cowboys start preparations for a highly anticipated season.

The news cycle never really stops for a team like Dallas anyway, but there's plenty to dissect and watch as official practices get underway.

From a potential holdout to the latest on the kicker battle, here's a look at the latest buzz surrounding the team.

Zack Martin Mulling Holdout for New Contract

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JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 18: Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin (70) lines up for a play during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 18, 2022 at tIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Cowboys have a lot of priorities when it comes to retaining their talent.

Between CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, Dak Prescott and Tony Pollard, there's a lot of future money that Jerry Jones is going to to need to spend to keep the core of this team together.

All-Pro guard Zack Martin is making sure his name is on that list, too. He did not board the team's flight to Oxnard, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, and Adam Schefter of ESPN added that he is unhappy with the team's lack of interest in restructuring his contract.

Moore reported that the 32-year-old has tried to handle the situation privately, but the dawn of training camp might force him to go public.

Martin has two years left on a contract that pays him an average of $14 million annually. Chris Lindstrom and Quenton Nelson are at the top of the guard market, making over $20 million per year on average.

Whether or not Martin holds out for any period of time, this is going to be an interesting subplot to the 2023 preseason. He is an elite player at his position, but he's on the wrong side of 30 and the Cowboys have plenty of younger players who are going to need to get paid soon.

It makes sense that Martin would want to push the issue right now, but it's also logical that Dallas would hesitate to commit too much money to an aging star.

Brandon Aubrey Named 'Favorite' to Win Kicking Job

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Brandon Aubrey

The Cowboys let kicker Brett Maher walk in free agency this offseason. Right now, the battle to replace him will come down Brandon Aubrey and Tristan Vizcaino.

According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Aubrey is viewed as the "in-house favorite" to claim the role and will be able to secure it with a good training camp.

The 28-year-old has taken an interesting path to get to this point. He's a former Major League Soccer player who played collegiately at Notre Dame before switching to placekicking. He has spent the last two seasons in USFL with the Birmingham Stallions, earning All-USFL honors.

Aubrey would be a great find if he takes the job, but Gehlken also reported that more veteran options will become available as training camp progresses.

Specifically, he noted that Zane Gonzalez is expected to be available after the Niners drafted Jake Moody, while the Chargers will have to decide between Dustin Hopkins and Cameron Dicker.

Michael Gallup Excited After Pre-Camp Getaway

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Michael Gallup #13 of the Dallas Cowboys runs during an NFL divisional round playoff football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Michael Gallup is one of the biggest X-factors for the Dallas offense in 2023. If he can return to the pre-injury form he showed in 2019 and 2020, the team could have one of the best receiving trios in the league.

The 27-year-old had a nagging calf injury for much of 2021 that forced him to the IR for seven games. When he did start coming back from it, he tore his ACL in January 2022.

Gallup feels much different in 2023 than he did at the same time last season.

"I could barely walk coming into camp last year, so it was pretty rough for me," he said, per Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Telegram. "But this year I'm definitely excited I get to be out there with the guys from Day 1."

The Colorado State product also shed some light on a getaway that quarterback Dak Prescott put together before training camp.

"I think every quarterback in the league should do that," he said. "I don't know how many people do it but it's been a big plus for us, especially the rookies who get to go. They got to see how we operate. See how we move and when we come into training camp, they're ready to go."

Gallup feeling positive about the season is a good sign for the Cowboys. A year removed from his injury woes could see him have a bounce-back season, which would unlock a new level for the offense.