Is Cowboys 2023 draft pick's roster spot in jeopardy amid preseason struggles?
By Jerry Trotta
Most fans would point to defensive line as the Dallas Cowboys' strongest position group, but cornerback is a close second.
It's anyone's guess how many corners Dallas will keep, but there are essentially seven players competing for five spots. With Stephon Gilmore, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland cemented as roster locks, that leaves four players competing for two spots, assuming the team goes five deep at the position.
For most of training camp, rookie Eric Scott Jr. seemingly was well on his way to becoming the fourth-stringer. As long as the 2023 sixth-round pick held his own in preseason, there was nothing standing in his way of becoming a part of the cornerback rotation.
Of course, things can change on a dime in the NFL and Scott's struggles in two preseason games have fans second-guessing not only his potential role in the stacked CB room, but whether his roster spot is in jeopardy.
Is Cowboys rookie Eric Scott Jr.'s roster spot in danger?
Scott Jr. had a nice pass breakup on third down against the Seahawks, but impressive reps have been few and far between for the rookie. Later in the game, though, Scott got beat deep by Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a near-to
The Southern Miss product made the costly mistake of not giving Smith-Njigba inside leverage off the release. To add insult to injury, Scott didn't get handsy with the former Ohio State star (until it was too late) and JSN made him pay.
This play encapsulates what we've seen from Scott in two preseason games. At this point, he'd inspire very little confidence if he was subbed in a regular season game. Any smart team would throw his direction right away.
In two games, Scott has allowed three receptions on five targets for 54 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. He's also He's allowed a 104.2 passer rating and owns a 52.9 coverage grade.
It's admittedly a small sample size, but preseason is all about making the most of limited opportunities and the expectation was that Scott would at least hold his own in a game setting after he showed out in camp.
Scott might be bailed out by Nahshon Wright's injury and the fact the Cowboys seldom cut rookie draft picks, but it stands to reason he's fallen behind Kelvin Joseph, who's had a great preseason, on the cornerback depth chart.
That would make Scott the fifth CB, which means he's clinging to a roster spot entering the final exhibition before the regular season.