Injuries will not define the Dallas Cowboys' season, but they have undoubtedly prevented first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker from flexing his play-calling muscles.
The defensive backfield has been a revolving door. You truly don't know who is going to start from week to week, and the Cowboys have been forced to rely on players who otherwise might not have sniffed the field if the secondary were at full strength.
More movement should be expected this week, but don't count on Reddy Steward being out there. The Cowboys announced they released Steward from the practice squad to make room for running back Kendre Miller, who was signed in the wake of Tyler Goodson's injury.
A practice squad casualty is normally a nothingburger. However, Steward started two games for Dallas earlier this season. The fact that he is no longer on the team in any capacity speaks volumes about how dire the situation has been in the secondary.
Reddy Steward is not a starting NFL cornerback
Steward is a borderline practice squad player in the league. He defends the run with physicality, unafraid to trigger downhill regardless of who's toting the rock. But he has no business starting on a team with genuine playoff aspirations.
The Cowboys have grossly underachieved to this point, but let's not forget how much hype -- locally and nationally -- they attracted before the season. The playoffs might seem like a long shot now, but folks were bullish on Dallas coming in.
Teams picked on Steward from the slot in his three appearances this year. He only played two snaps in Week 3 following his activation from the practice squad, but still managed to allow a 27-yard completion, per Pro Football Focus. Weeks 4 and 5 were just as ugly.
In the Texans game, Steward allowed three catches on four targets for 43 yards (16.0 yards per reception). He was flagged for a penalty and finished with a 114.6 passer rating allowed.
The following week against the Buccaneers wasn't much better, as Steward allowed all five targets to be completed for 42 yards and a touchdown. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels tallied a 141.3 passer rating when targeting Steward in coverage.
Before his release on Tuesday, Steward had not seen the field since that game. Not when Joey Porter Jr. missed time. Not with Shavon Revel playing zero snaps over the last two weeks. Not even amid DaRon Bland's struggles.
Porter Jr. (when healthy), Bland, Cobie Durant, Caleb Downs and Ameer Speed are seemingly the only cornerbacks Christian Parker trusts right now. Steward fell so far out of favor that he was demoted to the practice squad, and Dallas clearly viewed him as expendable once Tyler Goodson's injury created a need for another running back.
The Cowboys' secondary has been in injury disarray all season
Every team in the NFL is navigating injuries. I'm not throwing a pity party for the Cowboys. They do not deserve anyone's sympathy. But the secondary's sheer inability to field a consistent four or five starters every single week explains why the coverage has been so inconsistent.
Here's a rundown of every member of Dallas' secondary who's missed time:
- Jalen Thompson - 6 games
- Cobie Durant - 4 games
- P.J. Locke - 5 games
- Malik Hooker - 2 games
- Joey Porter Jr. - 1 game
That's five of Dallas' seven primary defensive backs. Of that group, only Caleb Downs and DaRon Bland have played in every single game.
As such, Christian Parker has been forced to play the likes of Steward, Markquese Bell, Caelen Carson (who has since been cut), Alijah Clark and Juanyeh Thomas. No disrespect intended, but most of that group has no business playing meaningful defensive snaps in the NFL. Those who do belong on an NFL roster are primarily special teams contributors.
It won't get any easier this week with the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers coming to town, as the Cowboys still have not opened Jalen Thompson's practice window and PJ. Locke has already been ruled out after suffering his second concussion in as many games.
Steward's release is a reminder of just how desperate things have gotten. A player Dallas needed to start two games earlier this season couldn't even hold onto a practice squad spot. Injuries explain how the Cowboys got here, but they don't make that reality any less troubling.
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