3 players the Cowboys should hope don’t get franchise tagged
By Jerry Trotta
2. Jonathan Jones, CB (Patriots)
The 2023 draft class is loaded at cornerback, so it stands to reason the Cowboys simply select a prospect in the first or second round.
South Carolina’s Cam Smith, Maryland’s Deonte Banks, and Syracuse’s Garrett Williams, and Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes are some names to keep an eye on in that regard.
Having said that, free agency opens well over a month before the draft, and the Cowboys shouldn’t leave any stone unturned in their search for a cornerback. As it stands, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland are the only sure things entering 2023.
Enter Jonathan Jones. If there’s one thing we know about Bill Belichick, it’s that he often refrains from paying cornerbacks. The Patriots let JC Jackson walk last offseason, and they could so the same with Jones this time around, as tagging the former undrafed free agent would cost New England $18.14 million.
In 2022, Jones posted his second straight season allowing a passer rating below 65.0 when targeted. He also allowed a career-low 51.1% completion rate on passes throw into his coverage, per Pro Football Focus.
If Jones reaches free agency, Dallas would be insane not to pursue him.