OXNARD, Calif. — Terence Steele and Kenny Clark will be limited in Thursday’s practice, and neither is hurt. Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer put both in a group of older players whose workloads the team is managing this week.
Thursday’s rep distribution is built around Saturday’s kickoff. Schottenheimer said the first team would take a heavy workload while the second and third teams split the twos’ reps, with the game roughly 48 hours out.
“Guys will be out today: Trigg, Bullard still out. Limited will be Zion and Blue,” Schottenheimer said.
“And then we’re going to limit some of the older guys,” Schottenheimer continued. “Terence Steele is going to get limited a little bit, a little bit on the Tyler Smith plan. Kenny Clark, a few guys like that. But for the most part, really good day, should be a great practice, and just being smart with some of those older guys that have played a lot of football.”
Michael Trigg is dealing with a toe injury and Jonathan Bullard with tendonitis in his abdomen and groin. Zion Childress is coming back from a hamstring injury, Jaydon Blue from a shoulder injury.
Schottenheimer did not detail what the Tyler Smith plan involves. Tyler Smith is a three-time Pro Bowl guard who has started all 63 games he has played in Dallas.
Terence Steele’s Workload Since 2020
Steele has started 91 of the 96 games he has played since Dallas signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech in 2020. He started all 17 last season and took 1,162 offensive snaps, 98% of the team’s total. The year before that, he played every offensive snap Dallas ran.
Steele turned 29 in June. He agreed to a restructured contract with the Cowboys in March. His one career reception, a 1-yard touchdown catch, came in 2021.
Steele is the right tackle again in 2026, his seventh season in Dallas. Left tackle is the spot the Cowboys have not settled. Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas have both worked there in camp. Schottenheimer said earlier this month that Guyton has not been named the starter, and that Thomas needs to raise his level for the competition to stay a competition.
Kenny Clark Enters His 11th NFL Season
Clark turns 31 in October. The Green Bay Packers drafted him 27th overall in 2016 out of UCLA. He played nine seasons in Green Bay before a trade sent him to Dallas in August 2025.
In his first year with the Cowboys, Clark started all 17 games and finished with 36 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, and 9 quarterback hits. He has 38.0 sacks and 453 tackles for his career and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Clark switched to No. 97 for this season, the number he wore in Green Bay and at UCLA. He took it after Dallas traded Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers this offseason.
Clark and the Cowboys restructured his contract in March. Converting an $11 million roster bonus into a signing bonus opened roughly $8.8 million in cap space.
Dallas Keeps Adding Veterans
The oldest player on the roster arrived Sunday. Von Miller agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $5.5 million, with a maximum value of $7.5 million. Miller signed the contract Tuesday and is 37.
Miller had nine sacks in 17 games for the Washington Commanders last season and has 138.5 for his career. He has not played since Jan. 4. Schottenheimer said this week that the Cowboys would not rush him onto the practice field, per DallasCowboys.com.
Dallas plays at the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. The preseason ends Friday, Aug. 28, against the New Orleans Saints. Kickoff at AT&T Stadium is 7 p.m. CT.
