3 Cowboys players who did not live up to expectations this season
1. Kelvin Joseph
For this last spot, Jalen Tolbert was a strong possibility after his absent production as a rookie. Tolbert was the Cowboys’ third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and contributed with just two catches for 12 yards on the year. He was also a healthy scratch in nine games.
But given he is a rookie, Kelvin Joseph was a better pick for his disappointing season.
Joseph was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Kentucky. The Cowboys decided to take him over Asante Samuel Jr. two years ago, and it looks like a mistake on their part.
One player, Joseph, was on the bench in the postseason, while the other, Samuel, was picking off Trevor Lawrence three times in a playoff game.
The second-year corner did force a fumble in the Divisional round against the 49ers on a punt, but on defense, he was a liability. In one of his only starts of the season, he allowed a long touchdown to Zay Jones that changed the whole complexion of the contest.
I get it they didn't like his size, but the Cowboys selected Kelvin Joseph at No. 44 while Asante Samuel Jr. went No. 47 in the second round of the National Football League Draft.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) January 15, 2023
He then allowed another touchdown to Marvin Jones Jr. on the ensuing drive and was ultimately benched for the rest of the season. He played just two defensive snaps the rest of the year after that.
The Cowboys loved his size out of the draft and the idea that he had the second-most interceptions in the SEC in his final season was enticing. But he hasn’t done much with his playing time in two years.
There’s very little hope that Joseph can turn into a solid corner for the Cowboys. It’s tough that they might have missed out on such talent in the second round, but they’ll surely look to add to their cornerback room this offseason.
