Should the Dallas Cowboys target a veteran cornerback?
With the recent charges against Marquez White coming out this week, should the Dallas Cowboys target a veteran cornerback before the start of preseason?
In a disappointing 2017 season, the cornerback position was one bright spot for the Dallas Cowboys. Rookie corners Jourdan Lewis and Chidobe Awuzie both came on strong at the end of the season, playing very solid ball as the Cowboys made a playoff push.
The two rookies gave Dallas enough trust to cut ties with longtime corner Orlando Scandrick, and not pursue a cornerback in free agency or the draft.
Although there was lots of optimism from the Cowboys regarding their two-star rookies, the loss of Scandrick hurt the Cowboys experience and depth wise.
After the news came out this week about Marquez White facing possible assault charges, the Dallas cornerback depth took another big hit.
Currently, the Cowboys have only two cornerbacks on their roster who have played more than one full season in the NFL.
Byron Jones, who will be entering his fourth NFL season, and first back at corner since his rookie year, and Anthony Brown, who will be entering his third professional season after being drafted in 2016.
With the potential loss of White, the Cowboys face a tough predicament regarding what to do at the cornerback spot.
Do they trust that Lewis and Awuize will recreate their late 2017 success and that having a corner that is only 25 years old in Byron Jones will be an experienced enough veteran to lead the group?
If not, do they go out in free agency and try to find a veteran who can help the young group and be a leader in the cornerback room?
As depth is concerned, a lot of this may depend on the availability of Marquez White, but at this point, it seems more than likely he may be suspended and miss some games.
If White is unable to play, Dallas would only have four corners on their current roster that have played in an NFL game, which clearly is not enough.
If Dallas does decide to go the free agency route to buffer up their depth and experience in the secondary, there are some intriguing names still on the market.
Jeremy Lane, a longtime Seattle Seahawk, maybe a name that interests Dallas. Lane played under Cowboys secondary coach Kris Richard in Seattle, and might be a good fit in his scheme and what he is trying to do in Dallas.
Another possible option could be Brice McCain. The nine-year veteran has played in over 130 NFL games in his career and has been very productive. From 2011-2016 he recorded 11 interceptions, which shows his clear ability to take the ball away from the opposing team, which Dallas lacks desperately on defense.
If Dallas was to target an experienced veteran like McCain or Lane, they would not need them to step in and play a huge role. The Cowboys would need them to be able to lead the group on and off the field, and help get the most out of their young corners.
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Regardless of what happens with Marquez White, it seems logical for Dallas to add some veteran depth and experience at the cornerback position before the start of the preseason.