Cowboys 2024 rookie report card: Progress report for each pick at the bye week

Round 5, Pick 174: CB Caelen Carson

Draft day expectations: Caelen Carson was a pick most scouts and fans loved for the Cowboys. Carson presented tremendous value in the fifth round and addressed a lowkey need at CB for Dallas. Carson was a player would provide depth as a rookie and with luck a starting quality ceiling down the road.

Bye week review: As fortune would have it, a preseason injury to DaRon Bland thrust Carson immediately into the spotlight. Like most rookie CBs, Carson struggled as a starter. Throwing him to fire did little to help his development and a shoulder injury that has kept him out in recent weeks only made it worse.

Carson is expected back soon, as is Bland, so it’s likely Carson will ease back into things and get back onto that developmental arch he was supposed to be on from the start.

Adjusted expectations: Carson hasn’t looked great this season, which is somewhat to be expected. He looked a little apprehensive and ill-prepared to take the field in Week 1 which was disappointing to many. Carson is still a decent CB4 to have this season and will likely assume that role going forward. His ceiling remains the same long term, but the timeline has been pushed right a bit.