Cowboys trading Kelvin Joseph to Dolphins amid Year 3 revival feels like a mistake

Many Dallas Cowboys fans didn't take kindly to the report that Kelvin Joseph would struggle to make the 53-man roster. Arguably the team's most frustrating player over the last two seasons, Joseph parlayed a nice camp following a switch to the nickel into a borderline dominant preseason.

With Joseph destined to land on waivers, it only made sense for the Cowboys to try and find a trade partner for the third-year pro.

That's exactly what happened an hour before the 3 p.m. CT deadline.

Per multiple reports, Dallas traded Joseph to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for 2020 first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene.

The Cowboys traded CB Kelvin Joseph to the Miami Dolphins.

A second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Joseph has been a disappointment so far in his career. However, it's a little head-scratching that the Cowboys have given up on him just as he started showing signs of turning a corner.

According to Pro Football Focus, Joseph allowed two catches on eight targets and allowed a lowly 39.8 passer rating. He added three run stops and continued to flash potential as a special teams gunner. He showed promise on special teams last year, too, but was plagued by penalties.

Between struggling in coverage and committing boneheaded penalties on special teams, Joseph's first two seasons were a tough watch. But not every player experiences linear progression early in their career. He won't turn 23 until November and only started 25 games in college before declaring for the draft.

Surely the Cowboys knew there'd be growing pains, no?

They're loaded at cornerback, but Joseph would've been a serviceable depth option in the slot behind DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis.

Alas, Joseph gets a fresh start in Miami and the Cowboys get back a player in Igbinoghene who strengthens an already-stacked CB room.

Igbinoghene hasn't lived up to the billing as a former first-round pick (No. 30 overall in 2020), but his numbers from last season offer some encouragement. Per PFF, he allowed a 47.8% completion rate on 23 targets and allowed a 77.1 QB rating. He only played nine games with two starts, so take that for what's it worth.

We're hard-pressed to second-guess Dallas' front office after their marvelous offseason, but jettisoning Joseph just as he seemed to flip a switch is a questionable move; one they hopefully don't regret down the line.

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