One would think that drafting Caleb Downs would be enough for Dallas Cowboys fans to overlook something like a jersey number. But why shouldn't they have their cake and eat it, too?
So, when Downs debuted in No. 18 at rookie minicamp, fans made their dissatisfaction heard on social media, and understandably so. A star defensive back wearing a jersey in the teens? After dominating college football in the No. 2 jersey the last three years? Hard pass.
The good news is that Downs has changed his number. Unfortunately, he is now listed as No. 13 on the Cowboys' official website, and fans aren't thrilled. It remains to be seen if he will strike a deal with Cobie Durant for No. 2, but it sounds like he's content with his new digits.
On the Downs 2 Business podcast with his brother, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, the Cowboys' first-round pick explained why he settled on No. 13.
"I mean, it was Odell [Beckham Jr.], but defensive wise, it was Malachi Moore," Downs said. "Shout out to Malachi. When he was at Bama his freshman year, watching that, when I was like a freshman in high school, I was like, oh, that's tough. 13, that's smooth."
For now, Dallas Cowboys' rookie is content with the No. 13 jersey
After the siblings shared some laughs about why Downs would never stick with No. 18, he said, "13 is cool with me."
There's no arguing that 13 is better than 18, but that's a low bar to clear. A lot of great NFL players wore No. 13, but most of them were quarterbacks (Dan Marino, Kurt Warner) or wide receivers (Don Maynard, Mike Evans, Keenan Allen). See the issue?
Some of the best defensive backs in Cowboys history wore numbers in the 20s, including Darren Woodson (28), Deion Sanders (21), Mel Renfro (20), Everson Walls (24), and Cornell Green (28). Times have changed, and single digits are more common among DBs now, but it’s easy to see why fans would rather see Downs reclaim No. 2 or move into the 20s.
The biggest exception might be former cornerback Terence Newman, who wore No. 41 for all nine of his seasons in Dallas. He was assigned it as a rookie and never gave it up. Not exactly a “cornerback number,” but Newman made it work by playing at a high level.
Downs could follow Newman’s lead and make No. 13 his own. But the ideal outcome is the 21-year-old finding a way to get number 2 back.
That will be easier said than done, however.
Cobie Durant holding No. 2 is one hurdle, but safety Markquese Bell currently has No. 14, the number Durant wore in college and with the Los Angeles Rams. If Durant were to switch back to 14, both he and Bell would have to be willing to change numbers for Downs to reassume No. 2.
For the time being, Downs is number 13. He seems content with it, but something tells me this isn't the last we heard of the jersey discourse.
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