Dallas Cowboys training camp is in full swing, as Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, and company underwent their first padded practice of the season Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, the fans didn’t seem to be that interested. The majority of the bleachers where Dallas supporters usually sit to catch a session were empty. Multiple reporters, including WFAA’s Mike Leslie and the Athletic’s Jon Machota, shared scenes from Tuesday’s practice.

“Not many fans for Cowboys’ first practice in pads,” noted Machota via X, formerly Twitter.

Many Cowboys players, including stars Micah Parsons, Dak Prescott, and CeeDee Lamb, are frustrated about the state of their contracts. Prescott and Parsons are currently at training camp with the team, but Lamb is still holding out while he waits on a new deal. Dallas’ number one receiver is in Houston working out and staying in shape for the upcoming season.

Cowboys heading into pivotal season under coach Mike McCarthy

McCarthy is entering his fifth season at the helm, and it certainly feels like a make-or-break campaign for the veteran coach. Although their division and conference haven’t gotten any easier, the Cowboys should be one of the favorites to win the NFC. At least, on paper.

The reality is that winning the division — much less the conference — will be a tough task for even this star-laden team. The Philadelphia Eagles, one of Dallas’ division rivals, are arguably a more complete team that also made some strong additions this offseason. The Cowboys mostly stayed the course, bringing back former first-round pick Ezekiel Elliott at running back while adding middle linebacker Eric Kendricks to the defense.

Although these additions, along with first-round pick Tyler Guyton and the draft class, help the team, it still feels as if they are behind the Eagles at the moment. The best chance that the Cowboys have at success in the upcoming campaign is to get the trio of Prescott, Parsons, and Lamb locked in with long-term deals. The sooner, the better.

Will Dallas make a playoff push in 2024?

The most important thing that the Cowboys’ brass, led by McCarthy and owner/president/GM Jerry Jones, must do is lock in their three biggest stars. Doing that will send a message to the team that if they perform well, then they will be rewarded with long-term commitments. Other stars, such as cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, will need new deals in the near future, so setting the precedent now would be wise.

If McCarthy and his staff can keep the team locked in, then there’s no reason why Dallas shouldn’t clinch a playoff berth at the very least. However, playoff berths aren’t the goal. Winning the Super Bowl is. That is a goal that the Cowboys haven’t accomplished since the 1990s. If they want to finish the story this year, then they will have to be all in. If not, then a new head coach could be walking the sidelines at AT&T Stadium in 2025.