This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys opted to take a huge risk at one specific position on the roster. In fact, they ended up taking multiple gambles here, and the collection of decisions (or lack thereof) could come back to bite them.
As the Cowboys enter training camp, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens will be out to prove they can be a dominant duo. The problem, though, is that the Cowboys don't have the talent at cornerback to truly test them.
Dallas' failure to add necessary depth in the cornerback room is going to be put to the test when they open training camp. With Trevon Diggs still recovering from knee surgery, the team's no. 1 guy is out. But, he isn't the only top corner far from returning to the field.
Cowboys won't have a competent CB duo for a long time, and it's their own fault
It was reported earlier in the week that third-round pick Shavon Revel suffered a setback in returning from his own ACL surgery. That has since been debunked. The setback occurred well before the 2025 NFL Draft. Revel is still on track to be cleared for training camp.
Regardless, it is still likely that Kaiir Elam starts opposite DaRon Bland when the regular season kicks off. Elam had an excellent offseason program, but Cowboys fans won't buy into the hype until he proves it in a game setting.
Truthfully, Dallas did this to themselves. Jerry Jones knew Diggs was going to be out for a while and still opted to take the risk on a rookie recovering from a very similar injury. Dance moves be darned, the jury is still out on whether Jones made the right call.
While Revel could pay off in the long run, this continues to look like a massive lottery ticket situation. It could backfire. It could pay off, but later on.
In training camp, the Cowboys' defense isn't going to be at full strength. The fact is, that group won't be able to practice at full strength until the regular season. That's going to hurt in more ways than one.
Fans will be eager to watch CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens make plays in training camp, and although that'll be good practice reps for the reserves, it still doesn't give their defense a competent feel for how they'll operate as a fully-loaded unit.
Dallas still has the opportunity to go out and sign a veteran free agent, but time is dwindling after two-time Pro Bowler Jaire Alexander signed with the Ravens.