Two veteran Cowboys corners who could be released before the start of the season

We’ve heard it often over the last few years, it’s a salary cap league. And in a salary cap league, some tough decisions will need to be made. After adding Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, Israel Mukuamu, and moving 2020 DB Reggie Robinson back to cornerback, the corner depth chart is looking awfully crowded. Knowing what we know, it’s more than likely that Trevon Diggs, Kelvin Joseph, and Jourdan Lewis will be the starting cornerbacks when in nickel defense.

While anything could change, this coaching staff and front office decided to extend Jourdan Lewis this offseason, and while it wasn’t a massive deal by any means, it’s tough to see them moving on from Lewis after extending him back in March. That leaves the question of who will be released from that corner room to help with roster numbers and salary cap space?

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The first two names that come to mind are Anthony Brown and Maurice Canady. When taking into account the salary cap, Anthony Brown would make the most sense to be released. Though Brown has been a quality role-player for the Cowboys since being drafted in the sixth-round of the 2016 draft, Brown’s release could save the Cowboys $2.5 million if released after the post June 1 date. Brown could push Lewis for the starting nickel job, but after struggling with injuries and level of play over the last two seasons, you have to wonder if a new staff would prefer to go in a different direction.

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The other corner who could save the Cowboys some money with a post-June 1 release would be Maurice Canady, a 2020 free agent addition. Canady, a four-year veteran elected to opt-out of the 2020 season due to COVID, but has rejoined the team for the 2021 offseason activities. Maurice Canady signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency in 2020 but did not take part in anything for the Cowboys for the 2020 season. If released, Canady would save the Cowboys a little over a million dollars.

While there are no massive cap savings available if releases come from the cornerback room, every penny counts, especially with players you don’t think could make a huge impact on the defense, or players the new defensive coaching staff isn’t in love with from a traits perspective. While both Brown and Canady could make the roster, and could fill a rotational role, you have to wonder if going younger and cheaper, with players the coaching staff has more faith in could be the move for the Cowboys heading into 2021.