Cornerback could be an issue for the Dallas Cowboys in 2019

The Dallas Cowboys cornerback position could become a major issue this season due to health and injuries concerns while expiring contracts loom large in 2020.

The Dallas Cowboys starting secondary heading into the 2016 regular season included cornerbacks Brandon Carr, Morris Claiborne, and Orlando Scandrick. Barry Church and Byron Jones lined up at safety. Flash forward three years and only Jones remains on the roster.

The cornerback revolution in Dallas actually began in 2017, with the exodus of longtime veterans like Carr and Claiborne. In their place, the Cowboys drafted cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis in the second and third rounds respectively. Combined with the surprising play of 2016 sixth-rounder, cornerback Anthony Brown, Dallas had revamped the positional group in one fell swoop.

The rebuild seemed to be completed in 2018 when new passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Kris Richard had the inspired idea to move former first-round selection Byron Jones from safety to cornerback, a position he’d played briefly during his rookie season in 2015. The move resulted in Jones becoming one of the best cover corners in the NFL last season and allowed him to receive his first Pro Bowl nomination.

But heading into 2019, the cornerback position could become a major issue in Dallas. Here’s how Rob Phillips of DallasCowboys.com recently answered a mailbag question about which positional group he believed could take a step back in 2019.

"“If there’s a concern, maybe it’s cornerback simply due to health. Byron Jones is coming off hip surgery and the team hopes he’ll be ready for Week 1. Chidobe Awuzie has the talent for a breakout year, but injuries limited him at times in his first two seasons. The Cowboys need both healthy and at their best.”"

After initial reports that Jones intended to be ready to start training camp, it’s now being reported he’ll likely start camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP) following his hip surgery. Barring any setbacks, the Cowboys are hoping Jones is able to play in the season opener.

As Phillips mentioned, the team’s other starting outside corner, Awuize, has had some health issues of his own. The 24-year old has missed a total of seven games in his first two seasons as a pro. And Awuzie is also coming off a down-year in 2018 according to Pro Football Focus, which gave the former second-rounder lesser grades in every significant category following an impressive, albeit limited rookie season.

Keeping this talented group of cornerbacks together, while also trying to pay big stars like quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper, will become problematic very soon. Both Byron Jones and Anthony Brown are scheduled to become free agents in 2020 with Awuzie and Lewis following suit the year after.

The fact that Byron Jones was forced to have hip surgery going into a contract year doesn’t bode well for the immediate future of the cornerback position in Dallas. Although the  Cowboys have quality depth at the position in players like Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, and C.J. Goodwin, injuries may force the team to turn to some of their more unproven defenders during the season. And that could spell trouble for the defense.

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