The Dallas Cowboys are contending for the best secondary in the entire NFL

Typically when discussing the kryptonite of Dallas defenses over the years, it’s the secondary. Up until Dan Quinn took over as the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys, the front office always seemed to miss on improving the secondary with a big move in free agency or in the draft. However, all this has changed. This offseason, the front office made waves across the NFL when they traded for five-time Pro Bowl CB Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts.

The Cornerback Room:

Trading for Gilmore brings a reliable coverage player across from Dallas Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs. Diggs has made his name as one of the elite corners in the NFL through the past two seasons with his stellar ball-hawking ability, and his improvement in coverage. However, the Achilles heel in the secondary has been the second option in coverage for Dallas. CB Anthony Brown has had some rough moments in coverage the past two seasons, and when he got injured during the 2022 season, it got even harder for the Cowboys. Former second-round pick Kelvin Joseph has yet to materialize into the cornerback the front office hoped he would, and the team signed several veteran free agents last season with hopes that they could lessen the damage in their secondary. Trading for Gilmore not only fixes this issue for the Cowboys, but it also allows the team to have arguably the best cornerback duo across the entire NFL.

Just looking at Diggs and Gilmore, the cornerback room in Dallas appears to be elite. However, when you factor in your CB3 is DaRon Bland, that cornerback room has the argument to be the best in the entire NFL. Bland was anything but bland in his rookie year with the Dallas Cowboys in 2022. He had a team-high five interceptions despite starting just eight games for the team. Having Diggs and Gilmore as the two outside corners with Bland in the slot gives the Cowboys a claim to the best cornerback trio in the NFL. It is fair to point out as well that CB Jourdan Lewis still remains on the depth chart as well. He missed most of 2022 due to a season-ending injury, but when healthy he can be a playmaker for the team in the secondary, and is an incredible fourth option at corner for the Cowboys.

The Safety Room:

To the surprise of many, the Cowboys front office was able to re-sign S Donovan Wilson to a contract extension this offseason. This keeps the three-headed monster of Wilson, Jayron Kearse, and Malik Hooker together for at least one more season. All three of these players complement each other so well and are able to play in several different spots on the field for the defense. The Cowboys also have S Israel Mukuamu who showed a lot of promise in the final games of the 2022 season. However, it may be possible that we see more reps for Mukuamu at cornerback in 2023.

The Dallas Cowboys are doing a tremendous job this offseason. They have retained key defensive players as well as brought in a veteran who can make an impact right away in the secondary. When factoring this in with any potential players they could target in the draft, it is fair to argue the Cowboys currently have the best secondary across the entire NFL. The secondary lacks any gaping holes or glaring weaknesses. The front office is putting the Cowboys in a great situation to win big in the 2023 season.