The Dallas Cowboys held their second of three mandatory minicamp practices on Wednesday. Because only limited contact is allowed, the offense has looked a step ahead of the defense. It puts defensive lineman, pass rushers, and cornerbacks in a tough spot.
That has not stopped some players from wiggling their way into the spotlight, however. While Kaiir Elam continues to impress, none other than Kemon Hall practiced with the first-team defense on Wednesday.
Per Joseph Hoyt of All-City DLLS, Hall started in the nickel while Elam and DaRon Bland lined up on the outside. Hoyt noted that the Hall-Bland-Elam trio was a new starting combination.
Cowboys fan favorite Kemon Hall cracks starting lineup at minicamp
The Cowboys have rotated several players in the slot position since the start of OTAs. That includes Bland, Hall, Juanyeh Thomas and Israel Mukuamu, though the bulk of Mukuamu's reps have come out wide.
A former North Texas standout, Hall made waves during training camp last summer. That momentum continued into preseason, when he recorded a 69-yard pick-six against the Raiders.
It ultimately wasn't enough to make the initial 53-man roster, but Hall appeared in six games during the regular season as a practice squad call-up. He played exclusively on special teams, much to the chagrin of Cowboys fans given the team was banged up in the secondary throughout the year.
The current state of the secondary might explain why Hall has been a fixture with the starters since Dallas returned to practice.
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Trevon Diggs and third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. have worked off to the side as they continue to rehab from knee surgery, and second-year pro Caelen Carson only just returned to the fold following offseason shoulder surgery.
At the same time, Diggs, Revel and Carson do not play the slot. Hall's skill set is best suited in the nickel. He has fluid hips and ideal speed to keep up with quicker receivers who thrive in the intermediate game.
While Bland is most equipped to play the nickel of any CB on the roster, the injuries to Diggs and Revel might force him to open the season on the boundary. That could open the door for Hall to start.
Again, it is only minicamp. Hall could get overwhelmed by the spotlight or the Cowboys could add a veteran who can start right away. However, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus would not throw Hall out there with the ones if he didn't think he could do the job.