The Dallas Cowboys cornerback room is in great shape for the future

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a major blow early in the 2023 season when All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs suffered a torn ACL just before week three. A positive takeaway from his injury, in terms of the 2024 campaign, was the timing as it gave Diggs a full year to recover, and it was reported recently that he would be ready for training camp.

Dallas will no doubt be patient with Diggs when he starts doing things on the field again, because the last thing they want is another setback. If all goes well, the Cowboys will get the best cornerback in the NFL in recent years. Diggs took the football world by storm in 2021 with a league-leading 11 interceptions, the most in a single season since 1981. He only recorded three in 2022, but he stopped top receivers like Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings and Ja’ Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals, which is no easy task.

Diggs has catapulted himself into one of the best coverage corners in the league, and the ability to take down the opposing team’s best receiver can make their offense more one-dimensional.

DaRon Bland was a fifth-round pick in 2022, and he wasted no time making an impact. He showed his ability to play in the slot and as an outside corner during the preseason. The former was where he shined as a rookie (434 snaps in the slot) as Bland led the Cowboys with five interceptions while taking over for an injured Jourdan Lewis. Diggs’ injury last season forced Bland to play outside corner opposite former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.

Not only did Bland play well in 2023, but he was one of the best defenders regardless of position. Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions and earned first-team All-Pro honors. It’s his record five pick-sixes that really set him apart. Dallas has two legitimate shutdown corners in Bland and Diggs, and few teams can say that.

He doesn’t have the hype of Diggs of Bland, but Jourdan Lewis is a very valuable piece for the Cowboys secondary. After an injury-plagued 2022 campaign in which he only saw action in six games, Lewis bounced back with a career-high 53 tackles, one interception, five assists, three forced fumbles , and two fumbles recovered. Lewis is a sticky corner who always seems to be around the ball.

Lewis was re-signed during the offseason, but it was only to a one-year deal. However, assuming his play continues to be strong, Dallas would be smart to keep him on the roster because of his skill set and maintain that veteran presence at the position.

The Cowboys added to their cornerback in the fifth round of the draft by selecting Caelen Carson out of Wake Forest, which was a smart move since Gilmore was still a free agent. Carson is 6’0 and 200 pounds with decent speed (he ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash), and he plays with a very physical style. The former Demon Deacon dissects plays and attacks downhill very well, and he is a willing tackler in the running game. He played 521 snaps at outside corner and 77 in the slot (81.4 rating according to Pro Footbal Focus) last season. So there is good flexibility in his game.

Carson will need to address his penalty issue that comes from using his hands a lot, but that can be fixed with the right coaching, and the Cowboys have Al Harris to guide him in that regard. By doing this and refining his technique, Carson may end up being a steal, considering many had him as a third-round pick.

Another name to remember is Eric Scott Jr., selected in the sixth round in 2023, for whom the Cowboys have high hopes.

No team can have too many cornerbacks in today’s NFL, and the Cowboys have several who can play at a high level, which sets them up well for the foreseeable future.