The Dallas Cowboys cornerback position has undergone a great deal of turnover over the past couple of seasons and it is one of the position groups in dire need of improvement for the 2021 season. The entire defense was abysmal in 2020 and new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was brought in to help turn things around for the Cowboys this year. One of the areas Cowboys fans hope to see improvement is in the secondary where Dan Quinn oversaw the “Legion of Boom” during his days as DC of the Seattle Seahawks. This year’s crop of Dallas Cowboys cornerbacks is mostly made of of young and unproven players who have will be thrust into the fire and will hopefully respond well to the pressure.
Of all the Dallas Cowboys cornerback hopefuls, Trevon Diggs has Cowboys fans most excited. He was an immediate starter as a rookie last season and although he was tested (and burned) quite often, he kept his composure and emerged as a legitimate play maker. Most Cowboys fans are expecting him to make a significant jump in his second year and he is firmly pencilled in as CB1 ahead of the 2021 season.
Two returning incumbent players Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis bring a lot of experience but both still have plenty to prove to Cowboys fans. These two have been competing with each other at the slot corner position for years now and the Cowboys inked them both to extensions in recent years. Despite their contract situations, neither of them are guaranteed a roster spot. At the same time both have a legitimate shot to start and they also both offer some position flexibility. If both players do show up in training camp and the pre-season and remain healthy, it will be a good problem to have for the Cowboys to have to choose between some of their young players and these young veterans.
The 2021 rookie class is headlined by talented but troubled college star Kelvin Joseph. Joseph has the talent to emerge as a potential CB1 but is far from a sure thing. He looked sharp and was barely tested in his preseason debut against the Steelers. Fellow rookie Nahshon Wright was equally impressive and he is hoping to prove the many Cowboys fans who doubted him wrong after he became an unpopular surprise selection at the bottom of the third round. Wright is unusually tall and lean but Dan Quinn is hoping to develop him into the second coming of Richard Sherman.
The biggest suprise for Cowboys fans has been the emergence of 2020 free agent signing Maurice Canady. Canady opted out of the 2020 season and had completely fallen off the radar. He was written off as yet another underwhelming bargain bin free agent signing but he appears to have locked up a roster spot after a strong training camp. While his emergence may seal the doom of 2020 fan favourite draft pick Reggie Robinson II, or one of the other veteran corners on the roster, when it comes to Dallas Cowboys cornerbacks, the more options the merrier.
Speaking of Reggie Robinson II, many fans are still holding on to the hope that he can make the team and contribute on special teams where he blocked 4 punts in college. However, seeing as he wasn’t given a decent shot last season and the new regime has brought in their own mix of young players, Robinson is a real dark horse to make this team. Like Robinson, Deante Burton is another player likely on the outside looking in.
Lastly, I do have to mention C.J. Goodwin. Goodwin is a great example of the type of player many fans want Reggie Robinson to be. Solid and reliable on special teams and can provide some added depth at the cornerback spot. Given his experience and having the trust of special teams coach John Fassel, Goodwin is very likely going to make the 53 man roster in 2021.
There is still a few pre-season games left to sort everything out and there is always potential for a shake-up as rumours of C.J. Henderson being shopped by the Jaguars are abound, but it feels as though the Dallas Cowboys cornerback position is all but settled. My gut feeling is that Trevon Diggs, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, and C.J Goodwin will round out the cornerback position for the 2021 season.
*Photo by Joe Glorioso https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode