Dallas Cowboys: Passing on veteran star cornerbacks wise
The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly fine without available veteran cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman, which is the right call.
Coming into the offseason, and especially after the start of free agency, the need at cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys looked quite dire. The group was solid, but far from spectacular last season. However, the secondary saw the two starters, Morris Claiborne and Barry Church, leave in free agency. With Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox also signing elsewhere, the group was left lacking.
Lucky for the Cowboys, they were able to address the need in a number of ways. They first signed a veteran in Nolan Carroll, formerly of the rival Philadelphia Eagles. While Carroll was abysmal a year ago, he’s solid depth in the right group. Dallas was then able to create that right group in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Dallas were the benefactors of great fortune in the second round as former Colorado corner Chidobe Awuzie — a possible first-rounder pre-draft — fell to No. 60. They then found immense talent in Round 3 with Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis still available with the 92nd overall pick.
Subsequently, the group is far more substantial than perhaps they could’ve ever hoped for it to be, especially without taking a cornerback in the first round. However, the sentiment has been that the front office might still try to improve the position and secondary overall with the addition of another veteran.
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The two biggest names at the position that are available or potentially available are inarguable. Former New York Jets corner Darrelle Revis remains a free agent. Meanwhile, the trade talk around Seattle Seahakws defensive back Richard Sherman has been running wild all offseason. With cap room set to open up once Tony Romo and Doug Free come off the books post-June 1, the Cowboys could theoretically make a play for either veteran.
Instead, that doesn’t seem to be the case. According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the Cowboys have no interest in Revis. What’s more, though the door isn’t closed on a potential Sherman trade, the chances of it happening are minuscule at best.
Looking at the Cowboys and their current place in the league, this is the exact right call. While Dallas could be a viable Super Bowl contender this season, their future long-term is much brighter. Subsequently, making short-sighted moves at the expense of freeing up cap space or potentially acquiring younger pieces doesn’t help this team in the long term.
With the arrival of Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott on an offense with an elite and young offensive line, the Cowboys timeline changed. They can contend right now, but also have the opportunity to start building a dynasty. Trying to rush that by adding players like Revis or Sherman at a premium cost only hinders that plight.
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The Cowboys are on the precipice of greatness currently. And while adding a once-great or still-great corner would be flashy, it’s not a prudent front office decision. Their best to weather any trials from the youth at the position and allow high-upside players to learn and grow. As such, their already bright future will only become brighter.