The Dallas Cowboys secondary has been considered to be the teams major weakness defensively. The lack a legitimate ball hawking safety, a true shut down corner, and sufficient depth have been a concern for Cowboys fans for years. That perception is beginning to change for Cowboys fans with some talented young players emerging as rising stars for the future.
CORNERBACK
Cornerback is a position that Cowboy fans are particularly optimistic about. Byron Jones moved from safety to corner last season and had a career year making his first ever Pro-Bowl appearance. While Jones is not a ball hawk, in fact he failed to record a single interception last year, he is a physical and athletic corner that can shut down opposing teams number one WR’s. A hip injury has kept him out of training camp so far but he looks ready to return to the lineup and start week 1.
Opposite Jones is 3rd year starter Chidobe Awuzie. Cheedo, missed much of his rookie season with a hamstring injury but played well last season. This year, he is drawing praise from coaches during training camp and is expected to have a career year. Cheedo can cover well but truly excels as a tackler which is a valuable trait in DB coach and co-defensive co-ordinator Kris Richard‘s defense.
In the slot, Anthony Brown is expected to remain the starter again in 2019. He was a surprise starter ahead of the extremely talented Jourdan Lewis likely due to Kris Richard’s preference for size at cornerback. That was an unpopular decision among Cowboy fans but to his credit, Brown played very well last season. Jourdan Lewis is the primary backup on the outside and in the slot and although he was not a starter, he still may be the most talented corner on the roster. Many Cowboys fans, myself included, are hoping that Lewis can earn more playing time this season because he is a legitimate play maker in spite of his small stature.
The Dallas Cowboys have some additional options at corner should they suffer any injuries during the regular season. 5th round draft pick Michael Jackson is a long, physical corner who has great ball skills. UDFA Chris Westry is more of a project, but the Cowboys are hoping that Kris Richard can mold this super lengthy corner into a future contributor. Donovan Olumba and C.J Goodwin came into training camp without generating much excitement among Cowboys fans but both have played exceptionally well and have a good chance to make the team. Goodwin in particular can contribute as a special teamer in addition to providing cornerback depth.
Cornerback depth is much better than last season for the Dallas Cowboys. Luckily, last year they escaped major injuries while going thin at the position. This year, they will be better prepared in case they lose one of their starters for an extended period of time.
SAFETY
Cornerback has gone from a position of weakness to a position of strength for the Cowboys but safety has long been a huge concern among fans. After failing to land Earl Thomas via trade or free agency the past 2 years, the Cowboys decided not to draft a safety with their first pick this year. In fact, they waited until the 6th round to address that need and they signed journeyman George Iloka for additional security.
The expected starters at safety are Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath. At free safety Woods is an exceptional player and he is expected by many fans and several analysts to have a breakout season this year. Woods has consistently improved year after year and his natural instincts have impressed his coaches thus far. Woods could become the ball hawking safety that Cowboys fans have been yearning for since the days of Darren Woodson and Roy Williams.
At strong safety Jeff Heath is the favourite to retain his job but he has shown to be inconsistent throughout his career. Heath has value no doubt. He is a solid contributor, he is fast, hits hard, and can also play on special teams. The problem with Heath is that he is not a true starting calibre safety and that has hurt the Cowboys on countless occasions in the past. The signing of George Iloka was intended to push Heath for a starting job but it appears more and more as though Iloka may not even crack the 53 man roster. Other options at safety include Kavon Frazier and Darion Thompson. Frazier is a strong safety and has been a special teams standout for the Cowboys which could earn him a job again this year. Thompson is in line to backup Woods but he is not guaranteed a roster spot. The most intriguing player to watch is 6th round draft pick Donovan Wilson. Wilson has recorded 2 interceptions in the pre-season and has improved after a slow start in training camp. Wilson has the ability to play strong or free safety and being that he is a rookie, he is under contract for 4 years. All that makes it more likely that Wilson makes the team and Frazier, Thompson, and Iloka battle it out for the remaining safety spot(s).
Although the Cowboys do not have a corner on the roster capable of generating a lot of interceptions or an All-Pro safety, they are loaded with youth and potential. Xavier Woods is primed for a breakout season, Byron Jones is coming off a Pro-Bowl year and up and coming young talented players like Michael Jackson and Donovan Wilson lead me to believe that this Dallas Cowboys secondary is a unit on the rise.
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode