Bad misses in the NFL Draft have been a driving force behind the Dallas Cowboys' bottoming out over the last two years. With so much talent allowed to leave the building, Dallas had to hit on its draft picks and simply didn't do it often enough.
The 2023 and '24 classes have really set this franchise back. But just when it looked like the 2024 haul might be a two-man show between third-rounder Cooper Beebe and sixth-rounder Ryan Flournoy, fourth-round cornerback Caelen Carson has stacked impressive practices at OTAs.
A fifth-round pick who's struggled to stay on the field, Carson has reportedly split first-team reps at outside CB with Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel.
Durant's interception of Dak Prescott stole the show in Tuesday's practice, but Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com had Carson down for a pass breakup against the first-team offense. That came on the heels of Brian Schottenheimer naming Carson as one of the standout performers from OTAs before reporters were granted access to practice.
The steady drumbeat of positive reviews for Carson continues. Pretty impressive for a player whom a lot of Cowboys fans had written off after two underwhelming seasons.
Caelen Carson is making a case for himself in the Dallas Cowboys' CB room
Standing out in OTAs is very different from standing out in training camp or a joint practice, but it's a lot better than blending into the background.
Granted, DaRon Bland's absence is a big reason Carson is rotating with the starters. However, he's taken full advantage of the extra reps. The same way it'd be a concern if he'd been a ghost without Bland, it's impressive that he's consistently found ways to stand out.
Bland's eventual return will push Carson down the pecking order, but there's a lot of uncertainty at the position, Bland included. Nobody knows how he'll look -- or if he'll stay healthy -- coming off a second surgery on his left foot.
Meanwhile, Revel finally has a clean bill of health after an injury-shortened rookie year, but he's got a lot to prove. Durant may be the safest bet of any CB on the roster.
That's a long-winded way of saying that Carson's got a real shot this summer. His slate was wiped clean with the arrival of defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
A shoulder injury ended Carson's rookie year after six games, and a hyperextended knee suffered during training camp last summer sidelined him for the first six games of 2025. He didn't take his first defensive snap until Week 9 and delivered mixed results down the stretch, but he was far from the biggest problem in Matt Eberflus's secondary.
Carson's resurgence won't matter if he can't stay healthy. It's still very early, but he's forcing his way back into the CB conversation.
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