Dallas Cowboys Spooky Game Part 1: Which 8 players are gone at season’s end?

Not to be left out, cornerback Jourdan Lewis was a curious front office decision. I have to think that there was a comfortability issue that won out over a fit issue. It is no secret that new Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has a preference for long-limbed athletes so keeping Lewis was a head-scratcher.

The Cowboys re-signed Lewis to a three-year, $13.5 million dollar contract this offseason. With the team selecting two cornerbacks early this past draft, the future of Lewis has to be cloudy. The team can move on from Lewis out after this season but like those before him, it will most likely be a post-June 1st cut. That option would add another $3.5 million in cap space but leaves an additional $1.16 in dead money.

Dallas Cowboys: Let’s Play the Game

Like Brown, would you release Lewis after the season and carry $1.16 million in dead money? So far Lewis has been invisible. Some might say that is because he is doing his job but other than the Hail Mary interception off of Tom Brady before the league’s first regular-season halftime, Lewis has done very little. He has defended two passes and has recovered a fumble.

He has 7 assisted tackles but that is a far cry from a player who counts for almost $3 million dollars this season. Lewis is scheduled to account for almost $5 million against next year’s salary cap and spikes to over $6 million his third year of this deal.

With Anthony Brown struggling, it is curious to see the Cowboys not even attempt to put Lewis on the outside. I get his role is mainly being the primary slot corner but even then, Maurice Canady has shown that he probably deserves more playing time than Lewis.

Dallas Cowboys: The Verdict

Lewis doesn’t fit what the Cowboys are doing but he might still have value around the league. I would attempt to try and trade Lewis for depth at other positions. The first thing that comes to mind is how much starting center Tyler Biadasz has struggled and how much a family name might be a welcome addition.

The Las Vegas Raiders currently rank in the middle of the pack when it comes to defending the pass. They still have to play the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers twice so those numbers figure to rise significantly.

Jimmy Garrapolo, Ben Roethlisberger, and Lamar Jackson aren’t exactly lighting the league up so the Raiders being average after facing those three teams could be concerning for the Raiders defense. Would the Raiders send backup center Nick Martin to the Cowboys for Jourdan Lewis?

Martin was released by the Houston Texans and although the Cowboys could have solved their backup center position by signing Zack Martins’ little brother, the team opted to move forward without a true backup.

Martin in Houston was able to secure a long-term contract but was released as a salary cap casualty. His PFF numbers were not great but with so many questions surrounding Tyler Biadasz, Martin could be a savior down the road. I would try and get something for Lewis before outright releasing him after the season.