Dallas Cowboys: Way too early 53-man roster prediction

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys kneels in the end zone before the game against the Seattle Seahawks during the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 05: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys kneels in the end zone before the game against the Seattle Seahawks during the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium on January 05, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 30: Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie #24 of the Dallas Cowboys has an end zone interception against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 30: Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie #24 of the Dallas Cowboys has an end zone interception against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on December 30, 2018 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images)

Cornerback (5)

Byron Jones, Chidobe Awuzie, Anthony Brown, Jourdan Lewis, Michael Jackson

The biggest addition to the team in 2018 was nearly the biggest loss. Kris Richard came over to coach the Dallas secondary and he did such a phenomenal job that he nearly got the head coaching job in Miami. Richard changed the defensive backfield for the better, and one of his best moves wast to shift Byron Jones from safety to cornerback.

Jones played well enough to earn a Pro Bowl nod and enters a contract year. Opposite him is Chidobe Awuzie, their 2017 second-round pick. Awuzie made strides as well under Richard and has the makings of a Pro Bowl player himself, should he be able to play more consistently.

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Anthony Brown was part of one of the greatest drafts in team history. He’s often forgotten about with Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Jaylon Smith getting all the love, but Brown has gone from a sixth-round pick to a solid slot corner.

Fourth on the depth chart is Jourdan Lewis, but he could be in trouble. He had a standout game against the New Orleans Saints but still seems to be out of favor with Richard who prefers bigger corners on the edge. He’s also not great in the slot, which is why he can’t leapfrog Brown.

The final spot goes to Michael Jackson, the rookie from Miami. He has the size Richard loves and could develop into something special. Chris Westry is a name to watch given his impressive length, but he has a long climb to the 53-man roster and should be on the practice squad.