5 Dallas Cowboys that should not return in 2021

#4 – Jourdan Lewis, Cornerback

There were a lot of questions surrounding Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis coming out of college. Not only were there concerns on how well Lewis would play on the NFL-level due to his 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame, but a pending trial following an alleged domestic violence altercation impacted his draft status.

Lewis would fall to the Cowboys in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. And he was eventually found not guilty of that domestic violence charge.

At times, Lewis looked like a potential defensive rookie of the year candidate early in his first season in Dallas. He’d end up recording 54 total tackles, 10 pass deflections, and one interception as a seven-game starter in 2017.

The following year saw the addition of Kris Richard to the Cowboys’ coaching staff as defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. Richard’s preference for taller cornerbacks seemingly shelved the diminutive Lewis for the next two years.

Although last season, Lewis showed signs he was worthy of more playing time after recording 4.0 sacks. With Richard’s exit this offseason, no one would potentially benefit more than the 25-year old cornerback heading into the final year of his rookie deal in Dallas.

Unfortunately, Lewis has underwhelmed this season. Despite starting all but one game, the fourth-year defensive back has made little impact on a defense that’s was once on pace to becoming one of the NFL’s all-time worst.

Recording 33 tackles, one pass deflection, and no picks as a 10-game starter while playing nearly 70% of the defensive snaps, Jourdan Lewis has only really proven one thing this season. And that’s the fact he doesn’t need to be re-signed in 2021.