While the Dallas Cowboys haven't made a big splash this offseason, they've significantly improved a secondary that couldn't help but allow explosive plays last season.
Keeping with the "raise the floor" philosophy, Dallas has signed veteran cornerback Derion Kendrick to a one-year contract. A former starter for the Los Angeles Rams, Kendrick gives new defensive coordinator Christian Parker another capable player in the secondary.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleThe move could spell bad news for 2024 fifth-round pick Caelen Carson, whose inability to stay healthy and shaky play when he's been available could land him on the roster bubble.
Just because Kendrick could end up pushing Carson off the roster doesn't mean Cowboys fans should expect him to make waves in the CB room, however. As Rams expert Bret Stuter of Ramblin' Fan laid out, Kendrick has been plagued by inconsistency in his career.
"Derion Kendrick is the epitome of hot and cold. He was hot in the LA Rams secondary, until a 2024 injury benched him for the season.
When he returned in 2025, he was ice cold. He was released and signed with the Seattle Seahawks, where he was hot. When their players got healthy, he was released and returned to LA. He was ice cold once more."
The Dallas Cowboys are taking a gamble with ex-Rams CB Derion Kendrick
"Hot and cold" is a great way to put it.
Kendrick only played 95 defensive snaps last season, but he held up well in coverage, allowing just 7 of 14 targets to be completed, a 6.7 passer rating, and 5.1 yards per catch while intercepting two passes, per Pro Football Focus.
Most of that production was with the Seattle Seahawks, who signed Kendrick after the Rams moved in a different direction. It says a lot that Kendrick carved out a role on arguably the best defense in the NFL, and the eventual Super Bowl champs. However, inconsistency on special teams compelled Seattle to move on.
Speaking of that inconsistency, Kendrick posted a 51.7 coverage grade in 2022 and 2023, when he saw his most expensive playing time. While he broke up an impressive 11 passes during that span, he also allowed a 109.7 passer rating and committed 14 penalties, including 11 in 2023.
That's precisely why Stuter believes that Kendrick "could be a huge contributor or a huge disappointment."
The silver lining is that he played some of his best football last season, which is impressive considering he missed all of 2024 with a torn ACL. His volatility suggests he won’t be a vital member of the secondary, but he gives Parker another serviceable rotation piece who could start if (knocks on wood) injuries hit the cornerback room.