Several of the Dallas Cowboys will get in some work before officially reporting to training camp.
The Cowboys report to training camp in Oxnard, Calif., on Saturday.
But before taking the team charter to Oxnard, the Cowboys will have a three-day camp, beginning on Wednesday at The Star in Frisco, for mostly rookies.
It's a slight change in format for the Cowboys.
"It's really the same roster as rookie camp," coach Jason Garrett said. "What we're allowed to do is bring true rookies in and players with no accrued seasons. All the guys who fit those categories will be here.
"You're also allowed to bring in quarterbacks. We'll have two quarterbacks for those three days."
Baltimore, Jacksonville, Chicago and New Orleans also have rookies reporting on Wednesday. The last teams to report to camp, rookies or veterans, are the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle on July 29.
In May, NFL owners voted to eliminate the first cut-down period to 75 before the final preseason game. That means there will be only one cut after the preseason, from a 90-man roster to a 53-man roster. The roster reduction must be completed by 3 p.m. on Sept. 3.
"I think it's a good thing for everybody. Where it will make its biggest impact is when we get to that point," Garrett said. "Oftentimes, when you get down to cut the 75, you don't necessarily cut the worst players on your team. Sometimes you keep who aren't as good a player, but they're going to play a lot of snaps at a particular position in the game two nights later.
"To me, it made sense. It made sense to a lot of players."
The Cowboys play at Houston in their final preseason game on Aug. 31.
"I think that game will be more beneficial for all teams in those evaluations," Garrett said.
The "dress rehearsal" for starters is typically in the next-to-last preseason game, leaving the final game for mostly long shot candidates and rookies.
"What it allows you to do is give some of your younger players a real legitimate shot in that last preseason game to show what they got," Garrett said. "Starting players have baseball hats on and eating hot dogs on the sidelines. These other guys are fighting for their lives."
The Cowboys open the regular season Sept. 10 against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium.
