Dallas Cowboys: Is Janoris Jenkins a free agency target?

The Dallas Cowboys need to add to their defensive backfield this offseason, that is no secret, but should they do so through free agency or the draft? Here is one option they could possibly have through free agency.

Nov 23, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) defends San Diego Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

The Dallas Cowboys will most likely add a couple players to their defensive backfield this offseason, and if the cap issues are correct and everything can work out from that side of the deal, they should target free agent cornerback Janoris Jenkins.

Jenkins has played his first four seasons in the NFL with the former St. Louis Rams, and since being drafted in the second round (39th overall) in 2012, he has lived up to that draft selection with a very solid NFL career thus far.

In his four seasons, Jenkins has played in 60 games, playing a full season just once in 2013, with seasons of 15 games (twice) and 14 games once. In ’15, Jenkins played in 15 games, where he totaled 64 tackles (56 solo) with one forced fumble and three interceptions. He also had 15 passes defensed.

Pro Football Focus graded Jenkins with an 80.7 this past season (on a 1-100 scale), as the 27-year-old played in 1,064 snaps. His coverage defense graded at 79.8, and his run defense was graded at 77.0. Compare that to the Cowboys’ cornerbacks from last season, where the highest grade of any cornerback with at least 350 snaps was Brandon Carr at 54.7, followed by Morris Claiborne with a 38.5 grade.

Though Byron Jones can play cornerback, his spot on the Cowboys’ roster fits better at safety as he was graded there by PFF with a 79.8 overall for his rookie season.

Just on pure numbers alone, the Cowboys allowed 227.0 yards passing per game, fifth in the NFL, but look at the film and they didn’t have the fifth-best defensive backfield in the NFL, that is for sure. Plus, the Cowboys didn’t have Orlando Scandrick last season due to a torn ACL, leaving them in need of not only some new starters at CB (Scandrick will return for ’16 season), but they need better depth as well.

Jenkins would fill a nice need for the Cowboys at the cornerback spot, plus if a deal could be worked out, they could look elsewhere in the draft to fill a need or draft the best player available when it is their turn to make a first-round selection.

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The Rams don’t want to lose Jenkins, so it could be a battle in free agency, and coming off a 4-12 record, winning at anything isn’t something the Cowboys have done much of lately.

Rich Hammond of the OC Register wrote about what now-Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead said about re-signing Jenkins this offseason:

"“Snead said talks with the agents of Jenkins and Johnson would continue, but also indicated that the players might take advantage of the ‘legal tampering’ period, just prior to the opening of next month’s free-agency period. That’s when potential free agents are able to negotiate with other teams, but not yet sign contracts.”"

In ’15, Jenkins had three interceptions coming against three playoff teams in the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals and the Cincinnati Bengals, all three of whom have solid quarterbacks in Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton. Against the Steelers, Jenkins totaled six tackles to lead the Rams that day.

Another plus for targeting Jenkins during free agency is he’s played in a 4-3 defense, and the Cowboys run a 4-3 look defensively as well, so the learning curve wouldn’t be super tough to join a team like the Cowboys.

To put it simply … the Cowboys need an impact cornerback on their roster if they ever want this defense to be a great success again, because last year they were on the field too much due to inept play offensively.

The Cowboys would have a nice defensive backfield with Jenkins and Scandrick on opposite sides and a safety like Jones being a final line of defense. Work in another safety they can trust to make plays, and the Cowboys’ defensive backfield could be on to something.

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Is this more likely to be a dream than a reality … most likely, yes, but there really needs to be an improvement made with the Cowboys at the cornerback spot, and Jenkins, through free agency, is the first place the Cowboys should look to get the job done.

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