Is anybody in Dallas losing sleep after the Washington Commanders inked Rasul Douglas to a one-year deal? Obviously not, but that doesn't mean it's not a nice piece of business by old friend Dan Quinn.
Much like the Cowboys, Washington's cornerback room is headlined by youth and inexperience. It's really a coin flip as to which group is better, but the Commanders may have the edge now that they've added a grizzled veteran in Douglas.
That advantage isn't set in stone, however. DaRon Bland can swing the pendulum back in the Cowboys' favor, but that's a huge question mark, leaving Washington with a slight advantage.
Signing Douglas is a rare July win for Dallas' rival, but Jerry Jones can erase it by recruiting free agent Kenny Moore to Arlington.
The Dallas Cowboys can outdo the Commanders by signing Kenny Moore
Released by the Indianapolis Colts in May after they failed to find a trade partner, Moore has been one of the NFL's top slot cornerbacks since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Like any aging cornerback -- he'll turn 31 in August -- Moore has had to lean more on his football IQ and instincts than athleticism, but he can still match up with tight ends and bigger possession receivers. He'd give Dallas a reliable veteran while easing the burden on an otherwise inexperienced cornerback room.
You're probably thinking that Caleb Downs is expected to play nickel, and that's true. But adding Moore would give Christian Parker even more flexibility to deploy Downs all over the formation. Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant and P.J. Locke all have experience in the slot, but none is a natural nickel defender.
Moore, meanwhile, has logged at least 500 snaps in the slot every season since 2020, giving Dallas a proven specialist while allowing Parker to maximize Downs' versatility.
And when Downs is patrolling the nickel, it's not like Moore is incapable of playing on the outside. He's played 1,599 snaps there over nine seasons, including 413 snaps between 2023 and '24, per Pro Football Focus advanced stats.
Kenny Moore would bring even more versatility to the Cowboys' defense
Moore also brings value as a run defender. His game mirrors Jourdan Lewis' in a lot of ways, as he routinely plays bigger than his frame and embraces the physical side of the position.
Over the last five seasons, he's posted an outstanding 76.3 run-defense grade from PFF. He's dipped below a 70.0 grade only twice in nine NFL seasons, underscoring just how dependable he's been in that area.
Versatility has been the defining theme of Dallas' defensive overhaul under Christian Parker, and signing Moore would only expand the possibilities.
Parker could deploy DaRon Bland and Kenny Moore on the outside with Caleb Downs in the nickel. Or he could roll with Bland and Cobie Durant at corner, Moore in the slot, and Downs alongside Jalen Thompson at safety. That's before factoring in sub-packages.
Few, if any, available free agents would give Parker more lineup flexibility than Moore. And be honest: is there a position on the Cowboys you feel worse about right now than cornerback?
We didn't think so.
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