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Frisco, Texas — Over the past few days, I've been taking you through each position on the Dallas Cowboys' depth chart, not only assessing the current situation, but also giving you an idea of where each unit is and has come from. I have explained it in detail. Looking beyond the 2024 season, they're probably headed there.
Last, but certainly not least, is secondary.
From Trevon Diggs to Daron Brand, Malik Hooker to Donovan Wilson, Juannie Thomas to Marquise Bell and more, including the impending free agency of players like Stephon Gilmore and Jaylon Kearse, we discuss them here. There is no shortage of things to do.
And no less in the offseason when they lost both Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.
So let's get down to business and wrap up this year's “What's Next?” A good series.
past: Unlike their history at certain other positions (defensive line and running back, to name two), this is a position where the Cowboys have not had consistent success with their defensive back unit.
But they definitely have a dominant or elite defensive back, there's no arguing that. From Mel Renfro to Everson Walls to Deion Sanders, there was generational talent to grace a Cowboys uniform. They had other talents worth mentioning like Barry Church, but the greatness the team had been chasing at the cornerback and safety positions proved to be more elusive than they had hoped. .
The echoes of Morris Clairborne (the CB Gordita before DL's Tacos) still resonate in my mind, but the fun I had with Terrence Newman for much of his playing days in Dallas still resonates in my mind. Over time, you're trying to wash that stench off your tongue.
At safety, we see JJ Wilcox not fully developed, putting a lot of strain on Jeff Heath (undrafted), Kayvon Frazier, and resident Xavier Woods, who is starting at free safety. It happened.
Additionally, and more importantly, the Cowboys realized (at least in their eyes) that they needed to move Byron Jones from cornerback to safety, then back to cornerback, then back to safety. I did. This flex definitely sucked any chance of seeing him form into a shutdown corner sooner and long before he left in free agency.
At one point in all of this, Brandon Carr played solid football but didn't live up to his contract at the time, and Orlando Scandrick ended up being replaced by Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown, and It gave way to a merry-go-round of rich players. I don't immediately think of you going back and forth, but this proves my point.
But the new-age defensive back is right out of the movies. At least most of it.
the current: This team is not without its defensive back mistakes. Specifically a failed second-round pick known as Kelvin Joseph, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2023 in exchange for former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene, the latter of whom was traded last season. , primarily served as insurance at the cornerback position.
What happened (or didn't happen) to Joseph is greatly outweighed by the breakout success of another second-round pick, Trevon Diggs, who is one of the best cornerbacks in the league heading into the 2024 season. Unfortunately for Diggs, however, his ACL tear ended his season and he was left to contribute for the remaining two-thirds of the season after having the best overall start of his young and illustrious career. I couldn't do it.
His return to the field will line up alongside another breakout star, albeit a late pick, in Daron Brand, who has proven to be one of the best nickel corners in 2022 in the absence of injured Jordan Lewis. It will be. After losing Diggs in 2023 to literally a historically great borderline cornerback.
Brand was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year after having a mind-altering five pick-sixes (an NFL record) and leading the league in interceptions (he and Diggs are currently share this title on their resume).
Diggs and Brand will form what can only be considered the best cornerback tandem in the entire NFL in 2024, but former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore is hoping to return as well.
Gilmore is coming off a very strong first season with the Cowboys after being acquired in a trade last offseason, and the tread on his tires hasn't worn off at all.
Returning to Lewis, the veteran cornerback returned to form last season after suffering a career-threatening foot injury in 2022, but the depth at cornerback next to the aforementioned four impact men will be limited in the future. is still unstable, but we will discuss this in detail later.
At safety, the new contracts recently awarded to Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker promise a talent unit with peaks and valleys in 2023, largely due to Wilson's calf strain. It took up training camp and the entire preseason. So he ended up spending most of the season finding his best form, which he was ultimately able to achieve.
Here I think of Jaylon Kearse, one of the most vocal leaders in the locker room, and the people behind him on the depth chart. That means it's time to discuss prospects for the entire defensive backs room, contracts and more.
future: We can probably expect to see some changes among defensive backs over the next year or two. That's mainly due to expiring contracts and the Cowboys wanting more from their young talent.
Kearse is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March, making him only one-third of the Three-Headed Hydra who didn't sign a new contract last offseason, making him unlikely to follow Dan Quinn to the Washington Commanders. At least there is definitely (as an example) about his potential options).
The emergence of Juanie Thomas made that loss even harder for the Cowboys, with Thomas joining the team's practice squad as a rookie in 2022 alongside Marquez Bell and becoming a worthy starter in his second year in the league. established its position.
Bell is an interesting player considering he was converted from safety to linebacker by Quinn, but there's little chance he'll stay there under a new defensive coordinator. Especially considering how Mike Zimmer has traditionally sized impact linebackers.
You'll see that Bell is back in a safe place, which also reduces the impact of potentially losing Curse.
They also have a young, developmental safety in Sheldrick Redwine, who was burned last season before being signed to a futures contract. And I think not re-signing CJ Goodwin to a new contract, even though they lost him to a contract, is borderline illegal. His pectoralis major tear occurred in 2023.
He has been the leader and ace of the Special Forces for a long time and will not be easily replaced. And he doesn't ask for a significant amount of money either. So go ahead and get it done — thank you.
But what about cornerback depth?
Diggs (who received a multi-year contract extension in July) and Brand are both ready to boogie, but Gilmore is an unrestricted free agent unless he signs a new contract by mid-March, when the league year begins. The contract year for both players is approaching. Nation Right and Israel Mukuam in 2024. The latter two have been jockeying for playing time since 2021, often playing against each other.
It's unclear what their future holds beyond 2025, especially considering the 2022 sixth-round pick Eric Scott the Cowboys acquired in a trade. As a rookie, Scott was demoted to the inactive team all season, but it's hard to believe they would leave him there for a second year.
They'll want to test Scott against Wright and Mukuamu to help make decisions going into next season, meaning they'll want to see if Scott can cook up as a rotation piece.
Igbinoghene did not see his fifth-year option exercised by the Dolphins. That means he'll also become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, opening the door even more for players like Scott, Wright and Mukuamu, even if Igbinoghene returns after a year. – One-year deal, etc. – To add to the training camp battle, Josh Butler, who is currently on a futures contract, could also be in the mix.
I have to assume the Cowboys will take someone at that position in the draft again. Probably a late pick or an undrafted free agent. So keep an eye on how the depth chart falls behind Diggs and Brand (and Gilmore?).
The great news is that Dallas is loaded with talent at the top of the DB roster.
Oh, and don't forget to promote Al Harris to passing game coordinator and have Zimmer bring his favorite (and former Pro Bowl cornerback for the Cowboys), Terrence Newman, to the defensive coaching staff as the DBs coach. Let's get it.
Please come in advance.
