FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys' secondary is once again facing scrutiny, as veteran cornerback Nolan Carroll was arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated on Monday morning.
Multiple reports indicate that Carroll was pulled over in Dallas for a traffic violation and was eventually arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated. He posted bond and was released Monday afternoon.
A team spokesperson said: "We are aware of the situation and are gathering information at this time."
The Cowboys signed Carroll, a seven-year veteran, to a three-year contract back in March, after losing several starters from their defensive backfield. The hope was that adding Carroll could help offset the departures of Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, who held the Cowboys' starting cornerback jobs for most of the last five years.
Instead, the arrest serves as an added legal issue for the Cowboys' corners. Third-round draft pick Jourdan Lewis, who the Cowboys selected No. 92 overall back on April 28, was arrested earlier this spring on a misdemeanor domestic assault charge. Lewis plead not guilty and has said he is confident he'll be exonerated when the case goes to trial on July 24.
It's currently unclear what Carroll's arrest means going forward. But one way or another, it's an added headache for a team that has faced questions about the cornerback position since last season ended.
The Cowboys parted ways with Carr and Claiborne, and they also allowed safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox to leave in free agency. Signing Carroll gave them a new trio of established veterans, along with Orlando Scandrick and Anthony Brown.
The team also focused on the secondary with several of their other draft picks. Before they picked Lewis, they drafted Colorado corner Chidobe Awuzie in the second round. They also spent sixth-round picks on safety Xavier Woods and cornerback Marquez White.
As barren as the position looked earlier this spring, depth is no longer an issue in the Cowboys' secondary – though off-field issues like Carroll's certainly won't help.
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