Dallas Cowboys are short changing their best corner
By Brad Austin
The Dallas Cowboys seek to boost coverage under former Seattle Seahawks’ secondary guru Kris Richard. Demoting his best cover corner is not a good start.
Dallas Cowboys minicamps often include experimentation so depth chart moves at this point should be taken with a grain of salt. That being said, one can only judge off past or present roster decisions.
The current backseat usage of corner Jourdan Lewis is every bit worthy of critique and then some. The team’s most talented cover corner is no longer starting outside.
Instead Lewis is being limited to starting slot snaps while a converted safety and fellow 2017 draftee man the outside. Slot coverage is important but this setup is reducing the snaps of a player the defense needs to get the most from.
Anthony Brown, Byron Jones, and Xavier Woods have all played well in the slot. There’s no excuse for burying a sticky corner with great closing speed and ball skills solely in the slot. Lewis has no business watching others defend two receiver sets.
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New secondary coach Kris Richard has vocally stated his preference for big corners. Apparently Lewis (5’10, 195) is being slighted for not fitting the height mold.
I guess these current NFL corners aren’t worthy of starting outside…Casey Hayward (2016 / 2017 Pro Bowl), Kyle Fuller (NFL All-Rookie Team), Adam Jones (2014 All-Pro, 2015 Pro Bowl), Brent Grimes (4-time Pro Bowler). None of those are over 5’11, 192.
Shouldn’t the master of Seattle’s infamous Legion of Boom secondary know best?
From 2011-16 the Seahawks featured rare corner length with Richard Sherman (6’3, 195), Brandon Browner (6’4, 221), Byron Maxwell (6’1, 207), Cary Williams (6’1, 185), and DeShawn Shead (6’2, 216).
Pointing out the obvious, neither Cowboys starter Byron Jones (6’0, 205) or Chidobe Awuzie (6’0, 202) can match the length of that bunch.
Though two inches shorter, Lewis had the second most pass deflections (10) on the defense his rookie season. He trailed Anthony Brown by one despite 99 fewer snaps.
As a matter of fact Jones only had eight pass deflections his 2015 rookie (and only) season at corner while playing 125 more snaps than Lewis.
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If Richard sticks with this alignment and believes Jones is a more effective outside corner than Lewis, the reality in Dallas will fall well short of his Seattle reputation.
Not to mention robbing Jones from an already mediocre safety position left two sixth round draft picks (Xavier Woods, Kavon Frazier) and an undrafted free agent (Jeff Heath) sorting out the back end.
Such a poor man’s investment speaks volumes. Every NFC East rival starts at least a second round pick at safety. Only one 2017 NFC playoff team didn’t do the same. The Panthers started a sixth rounder and undrafted free agent at safety, just as Dallas plans. It’s no surprise they lost in the first round wild card game.
Richard must make two major corrections for Dallas to compete for the NFC Conference title. Allow Lewis to resume his rightful role starting outside. His flexing to the slot against three receivers would be fine, as long as he never leaves the field.
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Two, the team must sign a worthy starter at safety. Be it Earl Thomas at free safety or Kenny Vaccaro in the box, either veteran would provide a much needed upgrade.
Standing pat at safety will expose the defense and numerous good corners can’t mask the damage. For the record, Woods isn’t the safety who needs replacing.