FRISCO, Texas – A new coaching staff brings change across the board, but it's easy to pinpoint the bigger upheavals on this Dallas Cowboys roster.
To put it more simply, it's hard to know what to expect from this 2020 Cowboys secondary. And at a time when a global pandemic has prevented the team from practicing this offseason, the subject is even murkier than normal.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. For a cornerback group with this much to prove, a new staff means a fresh start.
"They said that everybody has a clean slate," said Jourdan Lewis. "It doesn't matter how big, tall, how long you've been here – it doesn't matter. If you can play ball, they want to see you in that position to go and compete for that job."
In considering a clean slate, Lewis is probably the first name on this roster that comes to mind. Originally drafted 92nd overall back in 2017, the 5-10 cornerback has shown flashes of the cover ability that made him an All-American.
He also been unable to find consistent playing time. Lewis has started just 13 games across three seasons, and he played just 54% of the Cowboys' defensive snaps last year – and that was only after an injury sent Anthony Brown to injured reserve.
The gap between Lewis' perceived talent and lack of production has been a topic of conversation and debate among fans and media for years. For Lewis, it's something he does his best to not let weigh him down.
"Just not even thinking about my circumstance, just understanding the type of football player that I've always been and understanding that I have the ability to go out there and change games," he said.
This season presents the best opportunity to buck that trend – and not just for Lewis. Byron Jones has departed for Miami, leaving a starting job open. Between the trio of Lewis, Chidobe Awuzie and Anthony Brown, there should be plenty of competition for snaps under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and secondary coach Al Harris.
The Cowboys drafted two, signed three, re-signed two more and have a few holdovers at a very crowded cornerback position. We know it's early, but let's try to rank all 11 cornerbacks right now.
11. CHRIS WESTRY
At 6-3, 200 pounds, Westry was one of the most intriguing undrafted free agents last summer. An injury sent him to injured reserve, so it'll be interesting to see how he might progress under a new coaching staff.
10. Saivion Smith
Smith was one of the quietest signings of the offseason. An undrafted free agent out of Alabama, Smith started at corner for the Crimson Tide in 2018 and played for the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL in 2020.
9. Dante Burton
Burton was signed off the Colts' practice squad when Anthony Brown went to injured reserve last season. He only appeared in two games, but he should have a shot to show his stuff in training camp.
8. C.J. Goodwin
Goodwin is unlikely to get a ton of playing time at corner, but there's no questioning his value as a special teamer. He has been phenomenal on the Cowboys' kick and punt teams for two years now, leading the team in special teams tackles last year with 10.
7. Maurice Canady
This free-agent signing went under the radar, but there's obviously a reason the Cowboys made him a quick priority to sign. Canady has four years of experience but he could be a game-changer on special teams.
6. Reggie Robinson II
He might be sixth on the list, but you can count on him making the team and probably being active for every game that he is healthy. Robinson ranks ahead of both Goodwin and Canady mainly because of his draft status. All of them have special teams skills, but if the Cowboys have a tough to decision to make, you can bet Robinson gets the nod because he's a fourth-round pick with upside to develop into a corner. He's long, rangy, tough and has a knack for shining on special teams. There will always be a place on the roster for that combination.
5. Daryl Worley
Here's where this list really gets tricky. Right now, we've got him at No. 5 because he was signed very late in free agency and obviously has something to prove having spent the last four years with the Raiders, who didn't want to re-sign him. From a production standpoint, Worley has started the most games of any other corner on this team and his 56 career games played is tied with Anthony Brown. Who knows, in a couple of months, Worley could be the No. 1 player on this list and someone that is pegged to start every game. That's what kind of talent he has but since he was signed recently, and someone that every team in the league left out on the market for a while, let's wait to elevate him higher.
4. Trevon Diggs
The Cowboys thought Diggs was worthy of a first-round selection in April's draft, so they were delighted to pick him up at No. 58. Tall and rangy, he fits the new staff's press-man principles. To this point, a virtual offseason program prevents Diggs from getting his first on-field work as a pro, but he's talented enough to help the secondary as a rookie.
3. Anthony BrownThe Cowboys clearly value Brown's experience, or they wouldn't have reached a new three-year deal with him early in free agency. Able to play inside or outside, he's likely to get meaningful snaps in 2020 even if he doesn't play every down.
2. Chidobe Awuzie
With two corners drafted in the first four rounds, and given Awuzie's college experience at safety, rumors abound that the 2017 second-round pick could be headed for a position switch. Until that happens, Awuzie has to be near the top of this list. He has started 36 games in three seasons for Dallas.
1. Jourdan Lewis
The 5-10 Lewis doesn't fit the Cowboys' recent trend of adding taller corners. Former secondary coach Kris Richard had a similar philosophy. But Lewis has been the exception to the rule the last three years. He's an ultra-competitive corner with a knack for making plays on the football. As it stands right now, he's the most productive cornerback on this team, considering he actually beat out Awuzie for a spot last year. Until we hear something different, Lewis has the top spot until someone beats him out.
"Everybody has a clean slate, and they're just looking on what we've done in the past," Lewis said. "They're looking at the sample size that they do have, to go out there and watch us – watch the film and the movements and they see what they want to implement in their new defense."
Of course, it's impossible to ignore the large handwriting on the wall. The Cowboys also took big steps to address the cornerback position in this year's NFL draft, selecting Trevon Diggs 51st overall and then drafting Reggie Robinson in the fourth round.
It feels awfully reminiscent of 2017, when the front office did something similar by selecting Awuzie and Lewis in succession with their second and third-round picks. Given that both veterans are entering the final years of those rookie contracts, it's a strategy Lewis understands.
"You've got to look at it. Byron Jones just left. That's a big void you have to fill," he said. "Only one guy has played as much as Byron Jones, and that's Chido. And we're both on contract right now, so it's kind of a no-brainer that you've got to go defense and you've got to go cornerback."
He added: "They see what they have, who's a free agent and who's not. They see that and they take advantage of it. They did a great job. My job is just to be the best player I can be for this team. It is what it is, and you've just got to go out there and perform."
It's no secret that NFL front offices want their new draft picks to succeed, but Lewis and his counterparts have the benefit of experience. It's almost surreal that, three years after joining a veteran secondary as rookies, Lewis and Co. find themselves in the opposite situation.
"It completely just flip-flopped," he said. "We were the young guys coming in, a bunch of us got drafted – like four or five of us came in. And now it feels like four or five of them are coming in."
It's fascinating to think how it all shakes out. Perhaps the Cowboys' rookies take the team by storm, or perhaps veteran experience wins out. Perhaps Lewis can snag himself the opportunity that seemed to elude him during the last regime. And, unfortunately, all of this will play out while the NFL copes with COVID-19 – which makes the situation even more uncertain.
But suffice to say, when the Cowboys do take the field again, it's going to look awfully new. And hopefully that's a good thing.
"We have the right guys to show those guys the ropes," Lewis said. "I feel like we definitely can be an amazing group if we can all come together and be on the same page."
