Dallas Cowboys: Expectations for their cornerbacks in 2018
In that final stretch of the season, the Cowboys defense allowed 11 points per game and 170 yards passing per game. Over a 16 game season, that would rank the team amongst the top five in the league. The 170 passing yards per game would have been good for second in the league last year.
They might not have played against the league’s best pass offenses, but their youth and inexperience as a unit still make it impressive. Playing out of position as an outside cornerback, Jourdan Lewis more than held his own and popped on the screen as a tough and tenacious corner with the confidence and intelligence to play the position at his size.
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Though Awuzie spent less time on the field, he was able to show fans he had the size, athleticism, speed, and strength needed for an outside corner to succeed in this league. His plays on the ball caused interceptions and incompletions in those final games while giving fans a glimpse at his immense potential. The two are also being eyed across the league as breakout candidates in 2018.
Anthony Brown struggled in a starting outside role in 2017. This can be attributed more to the coaching staff than Brown in my opinion. While he didn’t play well, I feel as though he was given too much responsibility.
The former sixth-rounder flashed in 2016 when he demonstrated quickness and aggressiveness in the slot, while also having the versatility to slide outside on occasion. Brown was drafted as a slot corner and should have remained as such.
Though he can play outside in a pinch, much like Jourdan Lewis he plays his best when in the slot. Being the starting outside corner was too big of a job to handle and it seemed as though the coaching staff rushed him into a position that made it highly unlikely for him to succeed.
Fortunately, when he was moved back to his reserve slot role in Week 13, he was able to flash again. He registered a pick in those last five games and exhibited those same traits that made him a fan favorite in 2016.