There’s an argument to be made that the Cowboys secondary has the largest level of swing power of all position groups this season.
Chidobe Awuzie, Byron Jones, Anthony Brown, and Jourdan Lewis headline the cornerback spot. Jeff Heath (GOAT obvs), Kavon Frazier, and Xavier Woods are expected to shoulder the load at safety (barring you know what). With no disrespect to anybody here, the most important piece to the secondary isn’t any of them, it’s Kris Richard.
Dallas has the necessary tools and talent to become something special at the back of the defense. Their players are young and unproven, looking to make their mark across the NFL. While it’s definitely fair to believe in the potential the group possesses, who they are now is right around average.
This idea runs parallel to what the folks over at Pro Football Focus think. They recently ranked all 32 NFL secondary groups and the Cowboys narrowly missed the top half.
17. DALLAS COWBOYS
Projected starting lineup:
Starting cornerback: Chidobe Awuzie, 81.7 grade
Safety: Jeff Heath, 80.8
Safety: Xavier Woods, 78.8
Starting cornerback: Byron Jones, 76.8
Nickel cornerback: Jourdan Lewis, 79.6
2017 was always going to have some growing pains with as many youngsters as the Cowboys had in their secondary, while 2018 though offers much more promise. Rookies Woods (78.8), Awuzie (81.7) and Lewis (79.6) all impressed when given a shot. If any or all improve on their rookie-season form, Dallas’ secondary could end up ranked much higher than 17th by the end of the season.
PFF is pretty fair in their assessment of the Cowboys. The reality is that there simply isn’t enough of a sample size to be overly confident right now. The belief is there, the Cowboys simply have to justify it, it’s that simple at this point.
The Cowboys pass rush boasts DeMarcus Lawrence and Sean Lee leads the linebacker group. Those are certifiable stars on defense, but unfortunately there isn’t a player of that caliber in the secondary. Dallas could acquire somebody that they don’t already have (cough) or they could rise to the occasion and turn into superstars themselves.
Time will tell.