PFF: Dallas Cowboys should sign this young corner
The analytic website Pro Football Focus believes the Dallas Cowboys would find good value in signing this young cornerback in free agency.
Despite the Dallas Cowboys being in better financial shape then they have been in recent memory, the Cowboys aren’t expected to be big players when free agency begins in mid-March. They simply prefer to build their roster via the draft.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys current depth chart has more needs than even the draft can fill. So expect Dallas to be searching for good value pick ups in the open market next month. One of the positions where the Cowboys could use free agency to address is cornerback.
The team could potentially lose both of their starting corners this offseason. Cornerback Morris Claiborne is currently a free agent and is not expected to be re-signed. While veteran corner Brandon Carr has largely been a disappointment ever since signing a five-year, $50.1 million deal back in 2012. Carr will likely be asked to take a pay cut, since he is owed $19.1 million for the next two years. If eight-year veteran refuses, the Cowboys could be forced to release him.
Dallas does have veteran corner Orlando Scandrick returning from a devastating knee injury this season. And first round rookie Byron Jones did start at corner some last year. Plus the team has a couple developmental players at the position in Terrance Mitchell and Ayodeji Olatoye.
Still, the Cowboys likely wish to play Jones at free safety instead. Which means there could be a need for a starting cornerback in Dallas. Although the Cowboys could address this void via the draft, the good folks over at Pro Football Focus believe Dallas should sign this viable free agent option instead.
"“One young corner who could shake loose from his current employer is Casey Hayward up in Green Bay. After an exceptional rookie season in 2012, Hayward has somehow struggled to re-establish himself as a full-time player (only doing so this season) and his playing time snub in 2014 may cause him to seek new pastures…At the right price tag, Hayward would be a significant upgrade in terms of performance level, without putting the pressure on the Cowboys to pick a corner high in the draft, and then placing that pressure on that corner to deliver immediately.” – Ben Stockwell, Pro Football Focus"
A former 2012 second round selection out of Vanderbilt, the 5-11, 192 pound corner is coming off a down year in Green Bay. Hayward recorded 65 tackles, seven passes defended and zero interceptions playing mostly in the slot in 2015. Pro Football Focus still ranked him as the 32nd best overall cornerback in the league last season, and the 31st best cover corner.
In comparison, the Cowboys highest rated cornerback, rookie Byron Jones, ranked 48th and 23rd respectively. So Hayward would be an absolute upgrade to the Dallas defensive backfield. His addition would also allow Jones to move to free safety, replacing an ineffective J.J. Wilcox.
During his rookie season, Hayward posted 53 total tackles, a whopping 21 passes defended and six interceptions. He was the Packers best cover corner last year and could certainly do the same on the outside for the Cowboys in 2016.
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