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Cowboys position preview: If Byron Jones and Dallas part ways, what will team do at CB? Here are some options

It’s safe to project an annual floor value of $13 million to $15 million for Jones’ new contract.

Editor’s note: Second in a 10-part series assessing each position group.

The Cowboys’ cornerbacks largely struggled to force turnovers last year.

Turnover is likely coming now.

Nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis was an exception for Dallas in 2019, recording two interceptions, four sacks and returning a fumble for a touchdown. Impactful plays were otherwise few and far between. A tip-drill play for Chidobe Awuzie against the New Orleans Saints in Week 4 amounted to the only other interception by a Cowboys cornerback all season.

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Lewis entered the year as the No. 4 cornerback on the depth chart.

A Week 6 hamstring injury to Anthony Brown against the New York Jets opened the door, and Lewis kept it open with his play during Brown’s two-game absence. Once healthy, Brown saw sporadic reps in two games and suffered a season-ending triceps tear in the third. For the most part, health was not an issue for the position group. Byron Jones and Awuzie started 15 and 16 games, respectively, with Jones’ only absence coming from an ankle sprain leading up to the season finale.

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Brown, Jones and special-teams standout C.J. Goodwin are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on March 18.

Jones easily will command the most attention on the market. It’s safe to project, as a floor, an annual value of $13 million to $15 million in any new contract, and the Cowboys don’t appear intent on being the team that provides it.

Position strength

3 of 10

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Free agency

For the sake of the exercise, let’s presume Jones departs.

What then?

James Bradberry from the Carolina Panthers might cost more than Dallas is prepared to spend. The Washington Redskins recently cut former Pro Bowler Josh Norman, but he made Jason Witten look quick last season. The Denver Broncos’ Chris Harris Jr. has played his best football at nickel where Dallas already has Lewis. The Tennessee Titans’ Logan Ryan is primarily a nickel corner, too.

The best course of action may be to sign multiple cornerbacks with starting experience to relatively modest deals, establishing a culture of competition entering the spring workout program. Then, the team can invest aggressively in the draft and develop any rookie cornerbacks beside the veterans in place.

Three names to watch

  • Trae Waynes: Senior defensive assistant George Edwards can continue a project he and the Minnesota Vikings began when Edwards was their defensive coordinator all five seasons of Waynes’ NFL career to date.
  • Bashaud Breeland: Started 15 games last season and had a Super Bowl interception for the Kansas City Chiefs. Spent 2018 with Mike McCarthy in Green Bay.
  • Eli Apple: Made 25 starts for New Orleans Saints since 2018 while now-Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Nolan was linebackers coach.

The draft

It’s easy to envision the Cowboys addressing their secondary on April 23 with the No. 17 overall draft pick.

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Dallas could use young talent at cornerback or safety, a playmaker prospect with an affordable price tag who’d be under team control for the next five seasons. To keep the focus on cornerbacks, Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah is regarded as the best in his class, but the potential top-five pick should be long gone at No. 17. Many view C.J. Henderson from Florida as the next best corner. There seems a decent chance today he’ll be available when the Cowboys are on the clock.

Three names to watch

  • C.J. Henderson, Florida: Intercepted six passes as a three-year starter. Returned one for a touchdown in consecutive games as a freshman.
  • A.J. Terrell, Clemson: Struggles against LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase in national title game ended a standout career on sour note.
  • Kristian Fulton, LSU: Missed the 2017 season to an NCAA suspension for evading a drug test. Rebounded to finish career with national title.

Bottom line

A paltry portion of the Cowboys’ payroll is currently invested in their secondary as the 2020 league year begins.

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Surely, this will change soon.

Be it through free agency, the draft or most likely a combination of the two, Dallas must enact a layered response to the overall ho-hum 2019 performance of the position group. With little help from its cornerbacks, the defense managed seven interceptions, tying a franchise record for futility.

Some of the issue might already be resolved with the January coaching changes.

Players, however, make the greatest difference, and this new staff needs more of them with the Cowboys’ best defensive back already having one foot out of the door.

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On the roster

PlayerAgeYears left
Chidobe Awuzie241
Anthony Brown26UFA
Deante Burton251
C.J. Goodwin30UFA
Byron Jones27UFA
Jourdan Lewis241
Donovan Olumba242
Chris Westry222
D.J. White262

Cowboys position previews

Feb. 17: Specialists

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Feb. 18: Cornerback

Feb. 19: Safety

Feb. 20: Linebacker

Feb. 21: Defensive line

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Feb. 22: Offensive line

Feb. 23: Running back

Feb. 24: Tight end

Feb. 25: Wide receiver

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Feb. 26: Quarterback

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