Dallas Cowboys: Is it 2020 or bust for these five defenders?

Xavier Woods, S

Xavier Woods is coming off his best season with the Cowboys. In 2019, Woods posted 77 combined tackles, five pass deflections, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles as a 15-game starter. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 73.2, the highest of his three-year career, if only marginally.

Yet, through the 24-year old’s professional career so far, the Cowboys have seemingly been trying to find his replacement. Names like Earl Thomas and Jamal Adams have been tossed around as potential additions as the team continues to search for a true defensive playmaker in the secondary.

Yet, as a former sixth-rounder, Woods has already exceeded expectations. He gives the Cowboys a middling player at the position that doesn’t make big plays but also isn’t making damaging mistakes. Like many others on this list, the young defender is entering a pivotal season, the final year of his rookie deal.

With his future in Dallas on the line and a new coaching staff at the helm, the question becomes can Xavier Wood once again defy expectations and have a breakout season at a position where the team desperately needs a difference-maker.